Capturing the essences of Columbia University’s Italianate architecture in a modern abstraction, William & June Warren Hall fits into the fabric of Amsterdam Avenue across from the University’s main campus in Morningside Heights (Upper Manhattan). Using the palette of materials from the main campus (red brick, limestone and granite) in different geometric patterns, the robust building houses congenial, interactive case study classrooms wired with the most advanced teaching technologies.
Jointly used by the Business and Law Schools, Columbia’s 85,000-SF structural steel facility maximizes personal connections and convenience. Unconstructive lockers populate the structure. Thirteen classrooms surround an exterior glassy stair, where light floods the building’s two-story, stacked atriums. Students and professors stop and talk in the atriums before and after classes. The new structure also features breakout rooms, computer areas, student lounges, pantries and a lobby level coffee bar. Floors five through eight accommodate the administrative offices for the Law School. The Law School also has one 100 seat amphitheater classroom, three 40 seat classrooms and one 24 seat classroom in the new building. A 2,000-SF granite lobby on the ground floor, terrazzo floors throughout the building, and a tremendous amount of Curly Maple millwork in the interior of all the classrooms are just some of the notable interior architectural features of the building.
Advanced, interactive technology is in the fabric of Warren Hall. Email stations are omnipresent. Classrooms use connective communication links with the networks operated by the Business and Law Schools and the University’s ColumbiaNet local area network.
The project team worked closely with Columbia University's Department of Design & Construction to ensure that we satisfied the dual client user-groups and allowed them to move in on time. The project team was also very involved with the University keeping the local community board advised on the project progress during construction. The team completed the project on budget.
