IAB Wheelchair Lift | Richard Gonzalez, AIA

policies have helped create spaces and buildings barrier-free for disabled users. In this project, we designed a new wheelchair lift within the lobby space of the International Affairs Building (IAB) at Columbia University. Originally designed by Harrison & Abramovitz, the architecture of the lobby maintained a design consistent of the international style when built in 1970. The use of precast concrete, high ceilings and travertine stone was prominent throughout the entry. The lobby was subdivided by a series of platforms and stairs, which led to a centralized rear outdoor courtyard and meeting spaces beyond.

The lift is strategically integrated to mimic the massive stone-cladd columns within the lobby. The lift acts like a chameleon masking its color, yet the skin to the lift is made of a series of shapes at various angles, which helps distribute light and display a gradient of shades and tones. To achieve this effect, the project team conducted an exhaustive study of patterns and textures for the enclosure, ultimately selecting a design pattern and material that is attractive while not distracting, harmonious yet clearly indicating its function. Further, the speckle patterns complement the mosaic frames from the far east that currently hang on the opposite wall. The bridge is composed of glass balustrades and wood handrails to maintain the consistency and transparency of the space as a whole and a reflective quality that creates the appearance of elongating the existing design features.

The introduction of a new ADA lift  bridges pathway connections that were previously inaccessible when the building was constructed. The lift provides a venue for students and faculty with mobility constraints to access two floors which is highly used as a public node within campus.

In 2022 this project recieved an award citation from the American Insitute of Architects Westchester & Hudson Valley Chapter.