A former vacant storefront space on Columbia University’s Morningside Heights Campus was transformed into a light-filled meeting place for international leaders to address today’s most pressing energy challenges. The new Center on Global Energy Policy brings together representatives from academia, government and business to produce objective and cutting-edge energy research and actionable analysis for policymakers.

While the space offered a strong street presence ideal for hosting the Center’s public events, its deep footprint left a large portion of the potential workspace far removed from natural light sources. The challenge became finding a way to bring brightness into the deeper recesses while overcoming a 4 ½’ level change that cuts through the space. The design Mitchell Giurgola developed for the Center optimizes the distribution of available light by using glazed interior walls in offices and conference rooms that encourage light to diffuse throughout.