Columbia Business School

By Elisa Grossi - 13 June 2022
AGC Interpane has participated in the project

The Columbia Business School in Manhattan has a new technological and sustainable home, a vibrant mesh of teaching, socializing and study spaces with large glazed façades overlooking the Hudson River. Made up of two multifunctional buildings, this new business school campus in New York City by Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R) together with FXCollaborative doubles the institute’s available floor space and adds enclosed outdoor areas that create an overall sense of community. Positioned opposite each other, the two (almost) twin volumes lie parallel to the banks of the river and establish strong connections with the surrounding West Harlem neighborhood. They take their names from the philanthropists whose donations contributed to the cost of construction. The first – Henry R. Kravis Hall – has 11 stories while the second – David Geffen Hall – rises only 8 stories. The total surface area of the new buildings is some 45,700 sq. m. Creating a continuum with the surrounding urban fabric are a public park and retail spaces for a further 3,700 sq. m.

Columbia Business School is part of Columbia’s Manhattanville campus, an area in West Harlem of nearly 7 ha, nine blocks north of the historic Morningside Heights campus. The project by DS+R, winner of an international design competition, is the latest addition to the new campus, which includes three other structures, all designed by Renzo Piano, who also created the master plan for the new campus: the Lenfest Center for the Arts, housing the School of the Arts and the Wallach Art Gallery; the Jerome L. Greene Science Center with offices and laboratories specializing in research into degenerative cerebral diseases; and The Forum, containing an auditorium and events spaces. Completing the project is the park known as The Square, designed by James Corner Field Operations.

Enveloped by curtain walls, the layer-cake design of the two new buildings mingles...