Cauldwell Wingate completed an extensive renovation of laboratory space at Columbia University’s Hammer Health Sciences Center for their College of Physicians and Surgeons Department of Microbiology & Immunology. As part of the university’s strategy to solidify themselves as a world class center for research aiming to bridge “modern molecular biology with research on infectious disease and immunology,” Cauldwell Wingate overhauled the 9th floor research facility which had not been renovated in over 30 years and had suffered flood damage. In addition, Cauldwell Wingate renovated the 15th floor lobby and corridors and made improvements to the mechanical infrastructure.
An open laboratory plan design was selected as the best approach to foster collaboration and interaction among researchers. A central core suite of laboratory support spaces includes extensive tissue culture facilities, microscopy rooms, a glass-wash room, small instrument and large equipment rooms. The project provided new laboratory casework and fume hoods, new finishes, and completely new mechanical infrastructure.
The project will provide important benefits to Columbia University as it increasingly focuses its attention in regulating or exploiting the immune system for the benefit of patients with infectious, cardiovascular, renal, metabolic, rheumatologic, allergic, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, neurologic and hematologic diseases, not to mention rapidly growing programs in cancer therapy and transplantation.