• Unitized Curtain Wall (EWT-2 & EWT-3 | >103,000 sq. ft.):
  • The primary system is a unitized curtain wall featuring high-performance Insulated Glass Units (IGUs).
  • Glass Build-up: IGUs consist of an exterior lite of 3/8”+3/8” (10+10mm) low-iron laminated annealed glass and an interior lite of 1/4”+1/4” (6+6mm) low-iron laminated heat-strengthened glass.
  • Coatings: A high-performance Low-E coating (Ipasol neutral 70/37) on surface #4 maximizes thermal efficiency and occupant comfort.
  • Finishes: All exterior aluminum profiles received a custom grey (RAL 9006) AAMA 2605 finish for maximum durability, while interior profiles utilized an AAMA 2603 finish.
• Integrated GFRC Panels:
  • A defining feature of the curtain wall is the seamless integration of custom GFRC panels within the unitized frames.
  • The panels feature a custom pastel blue, high-gloss polished finish and were produced in multiple geometries (ribbed, curved with false joints, and flat) to create a dynamic, textured façade.
  • Each panel is secured via a concealed and fully engineered system of undercut anchors and custom aluminum brackets black anodized to minimize the visual impact through the open joints between the panels.

Engineering & Design Highlights

Close collaboration with the architectural teams was critical to resolving the project's complexities. Key engineering achievements include:

• Custom ADA-Compliant Hardware: Operable vents were engineered with a custom hardware system to meet stringent ADA accessibility requirements, including a maximum 5-pound opening force.
• Advanced Structural Solutions: Hot-dipped galvanized steel outriggers were designed to support projecting GFRC corner panels, and the entire soffit system was engineered for seismic events.
• Weatherproofing Performance: Custom-sloped GFRC coping panels were designed with a precise 7-degree slope to prevent ice and snow accumulation, ensuring long-term building envelope integrity.

The successful delivery of this complex façade underscores our firm's expertise in executing world-class architectural projects. The result is a durable, high-performance, and visually striking building envelope that fulfills the architects' design intent and serves the Columbia University community.

Performance Mock-Up & Validation Testing

To ensure compliance with the project's stringent performance criteria, a full-scale mock-up was constructed and subjected to a comprehensive testing regime at the Intertek-ATI laboratory. The mock-up replicated a representative portion of the building's façade, allowing for the validation of its performance under simulated environmental and structural loads.

He was born in Genoa in 1937 into a family of builders. He graduated in 1964 from the Polytechnic of Milan. He is among the world best known and active architects i, winner of the Pritzker been delivered by U.S. President Bill Clinton at the White House in 1998. He also won other prestigious awards including: Imperial Award 1995, Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in 2000 and the Sonning Prize in 2008. In 1971, he set up the “Piano & Rogers” office in London together with Richard Rogers, with whom he won the competition for the Centre Pompidou. From the early 1970s to the 1990s he worked with the engineer Peter Rice, sharing the Atelier Piano & Rice. In 1981 The “Renzo Piano Building Workshop” was established, with 150 staff and offices in Paris, Genoa and New York. In 1994 he won the international competition for the new Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome, inaugurated in 2002. In 2004 he fulfills the Church of Padre Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo. In 2006 he became the first Italian posted by TIME in the list of 100 most influential people in the world and among the ten most important in the world in the category of art and entertainment. In 2008, after nearly ten years of design and work, it’s inaugurated the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, one of the most sustainable buildings in the world for the high quality of the selected building materials.

Founded by Principals John Cetra, FAIA and Nancy J. Ruddy, and led by a core group of distinguished principals, the firm operates on the commitment to creating inspiring environments that both add to the urban landscape in a meaningful way and inspire the experience of home. It works throughout the United States and abroad at varied scales and across typologies including multifamily housing, hospitality, education, cultural and commercial projects. An award-winning firm that has transformed several important New York buildings into desirable places of residence, always seeking out the story behind each building site, their deep historical context, and fresh opportunities to craft innovative solutions and lead clients on their journeys toward building a new legacy.