The David and Helen Gurley Brown Institute for Media Innovation

Pulitzer Hall, School of Journalism, Columbia University
New York, NY
Completed 2014
4,600 sq. ft.

LEED Gold
Award of Merit, AIA New York Chapter
Award of Merit, International Association of Lighting Designers
Award of Citation for Strong Execution of Concept, Illuminating Engineering Society of New York City

Located on the ground floor of the historic Pulitzer Hall, this project houses an incubator for the technological transformation of journalistic practices. The Institute combines meeting rooms, faculty offices, and a large open work environment. The work environment is configured to maximize the daylighting and visual openness of the existing double height volume while allowing for flexibility and multiple programmatic configurations. A suspended mezzanine overlooks the main incubator space and shelters a series of collaborative ‘garages’ below. In the main space, mobile work tables can be reconfigured or docked into the perimeter of the space to access integrated flat-screens.  The architecture of the incubator is defined by a continuous internal façade that resurfaces the original room, split horizontally into a millwork base and a translucent scrim.  While the walnut base provides for physical engagement through built-in seating, storage and a large bleacher stair, the scrim acts to mediate light, conceal new technical systems, provide acoustical treatment and act as a screen for large-scale projection. The renovation has recieved LEED Gold certification.  

Type

Higher Education
Renovation
Sustainable Design

Credits

Client:  Columbia University, The Pussycat Foundation
Project team:  Paul Lewis, Marc Tsurumaki, David J. Lewis; John Morrison, project architect; Keith Greenwald, Emily Greene, Kristen Alexander, Elizabeth Kuwada, John Loercher
Construction manager:  Shawmut Construction
Structural engineer:  Robert Silman Associates
MEP/FP engineer:  Buro Happold
Lighting consultant:  Buro Happold
AV/IT/Security/Acoustics: Shen, Milsom & Wilke
LEED consultant:  YR&G

Publications

Cozier, Tamy. “Inside Columbia University's New State-of-the-Art Media Hub.” Metropolis. February, 2015.
Crockett, Jim. “Project Profile: Brown Institute for Media Innovation.” Architectural SSL. Number 39. August 2015.