JEROME GREENE HALL PUBLIC SPACE RENOVATIONS, COLUMBIA LAW SCHOOL

A welcoming gesture to all who enter, this new curving mirror is the embodiment of the dean’s strategy for embracing openness and transparency.

The new dean’s arrival ushered a renewed emphasis on student engagement and collaboration. The lobby furnishings and new interior architecture straddle two vocabularies: a formal, distinguished appearance of a professional school is coupled with the informality of student life and flexibility to accept changing programs and special events. In constant use, the space required high durability at an economical budget as part of an aggressive summer construction schedule over two consecutive years. Despite the utilization of the existing infrastructure, the spirit of the law school is entirely different. Now lined with a mirror behind a series of vertical fins, the curving wall becomes a social and visual link from one area to the next. The reflexivity adds natural light and the animation of street life even to remote corners of the space.

New high efficacy lighting provides for better visual clarity, considerable savings on energy costs, and up-lights the ceiling. Using a limited palette of materials, colors, and furnishings, Studio Joseph captures the spirit of the student community—with a lasting quality of visual impact appropriate to the school’s eminence.

The design process was one of community engagement. Studio Joseph met with students, faculty and staff as well as University leadership to ensure that this transformative renovation would embrace requirements with sensitivity to different constituencies.

The scope of work also included a fully renovated Dean’s suite with a conference room and a faculty meeting room with food service serving up to 75 persons. 

Note that privacy concerns prevented taking pictures with students.