Reimagining Columbia Engineering Building

Year:

2025 May

This project reimagines the future of educational typology, analyzing how technological advancements impact the very ontology of educational facilities. Traditionally, universities served as the primary access point to information—through libraries, teaching, and exposure to cutting-edge research. However, with the advent of the internet, barriers to accessing scholarly knowledge have largely dissolved. Online learning platforms and tools like AI chatbots now provide digestible, high-quality explanations on demand.

This raises a critical question: What is the essence of education beyond the simple transfer of knowledge? In the future, schools must prioritize irreplaceable functions such as social interaction, scholarly exchange, collaborative platforms, interdisciplinary exposure, and the showcasing of work.

So, what does this new purpose look like spatially—and architecturally—for educational buildings? The future educational facility must become a physical manifestation of this renewed mission, embodied through purposeful spatial strategies.

In this particular project to reimagine Columbia Engineering's facility, our team focused on Mudd Hall as a benchmark. We studied how its current limitations could be addressed in a new proposal. Through surveys, interviews, and mapping the user journey, we found that students—more than faculty—experience isolation and disconnection. Many are unaware of events and research happening in other departments, due to the building’s fragmented layout. Students also reported a lack of motivation stemming from poor natural lighting, insufficient study-friendly environments, and inflexible rooms—mostly lecture halls—that don’t support diverse working styles.

We addressed these challenges through a conceptual solution: Flow. By introducing a natural flow through the building, we aim to encourage chance encounters between departments, increase focus, and foster enjoyment in studying. Architecturally, this flow enables natural light and dynamic spatial experiences.

Our team investigated what promotes flow in individuals and translated these insights into a spatial proposal: a continuous walkway that meanders through the building in an infinite loop. This design allows people to walk until they feel ready to gain momentum—entering their own “flow state.” Through this architectural gesture, the Loop, we aim to facilitate education’s most fundamental purpose.

As we reevaluate the ontology of education, we hope Columbia Engineering becomes a stronger community—supporting each individual’s unique pathway into flow, empowered by the very architecture of their learning environment.