Research Library + Housing for CU, NY

Research Library + Housing, Columbia University, NY

Degree Final Project

Delivered: 2010 June

Tutor: José Antonio Ramos Abengózar

TU: Vicens

This project situated on the northern part of the Manhattan Island, above Central Park, will provide with new facilities for the Columbia University. The new programme comprises a low-rise research library and a high-rise housing for students, teachers and celebrity guests. The project will be developed inside Morningside Park plot, close to the eastern edge.

The strategy leading the project is the lower invasion of the park, due to the delicate design’s situation and the historical detractors of building inside the park. The building flushes with Morningside Dr.  and takes advantage of the street slope to prompt accesses to the different parts of the programme.

Formal building’s appearance is treated like a sculpture to adapt it to the park. The elevations are carved to get a different sensation step by step. The whole building is covered by a spread aluminium mesh to reach the changing look and to control the light and temperature in the inner spaces.

“Building gets dressed of park”

Two different programs, library and housing, are proposed and linked by the communication cores.

Library programme is divided in four storeys. Main of them is park height which comprises a huge study lounge with catalogue stacks. Upper floor is developed in two ribbons leaving a central void. Research works are carried out in this storey. Third level is for educational uses, comprising classrooms and audiovisual spaces. Finally, last level is developed in slope and takes in the inner street connecting two upper accesses.

Housing programme distinguish among dwelling typologies. These are complemented with servant spaces storeys: studying storey, living storey or gym storey at the top of the tower. Housing levels are divided in five individual rooms, two studios with cooking equipment and an apartment with two different spaces: living and working-resting.

Materials are selected following the strategy: long-life with less maintenance. Building components are concrete structure with steel beams and pillars and prefabricated slabs; stud-frame GRC for façades cladding with metallic mesh. Library is covered by a glazed span made up of trusses. Illumination is completed with ceiling pending luminaires and down lights.