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KPF designs Columbia University's first purpose-built, all-electric research lab building

2024-04-10T18:28:00-04:00

Kohn Pedersen Fox has designed a new state-of-the-art research and academic facility that will deliver Columbia Universty’s first purpose-built, all-electric lab building for the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

The project will augment Columbia’s Plan 2030 for achieving campus-wide net-zero emissions by 2050. It boasts a system of air source heat pumps (ASHPs) that manage the building’s temperature controls in unison with a high-performance facade that offers an optimized window-to-wall-ratio under 50%.

Credit: RGB, courtesy Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF)

“As an all-electric research lab building in a cold climate, the biomedical research building presented a particular challenge given high heating loads brought on by the ventilation requirements of the building’s program,” KPF’s Director and Head of Sustainability, Carlos Cerezo Davila, said in a project announcement. “This required us to design a building where the architecture and the mechanical systems work toge...

Inside three upgraded Columbia University science labs by Shakespeare, Gordon, Vlado: Architects

2023-07-24T11:52:00-04:00

Shakespeare, Gordon, Vlado: Architects (SGVA) has completed a series of research laboratories for Columbia University. Initiated in 2018, the project aimed to “modernize and repurpose” Columbia’s existing facilities to accommodate the expanding needs of the university's biological sciences, chemistry, and physics departments.

Physics Lab. Photo credit: Alexander Severin

The three projects centered on a chemistry lab at Havemeyer Hall, a biochemistry lab at Fairchild Center, and a physics lab at Pupin Hall. Each laboratory project involved the complete renovation of the existing spaces along with “innovative design concepts to facilitate the new and future goals for scientists and their teams in advancing their research.”

Chemistry Lab. Photo credit: Alexander Severin

Havemeyer Hall's chemistry lab was transformed into a state-of-the-art 2,800 square-foot research facility, outfitted with a Biosaf...

CDC to build nation's "most advanced" infectious disease lab in Atlanta

2020-07-01T13:00:00-04:00

A new 160,000-square-foot High Containment Continuity Laboratory (HCCL) facility is heading to Atlanta, where the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is planning to construction the nation's most advanced infectious disease research center.

According to Building Design + Construction, the new, facility will be part of the CDC’s 2025 Masterplan at the Roybal Campus in Atlanta. The multi-story research building will increase the CDC’s research capacity to sustain its diagnostic mission and will support its public health mission by helping communities prepare for, detect, and respond to consequences of public health hazards. The HCCL building will be a Biosafety Level-4 (BSL-4) facility and accommodate approximately 80 laboratory researchers.

The CDC has selected Flad Architects, Page Southerland Page, and WSP to design the HCCL building. McCarthy Building Companies will function as Construction Manager as constructor (CMc).