Frank Sciame Construction Co. recently topped out Cooper Union's new $150 million academic building at 41 Cooper Square (on Third Avenue between East 6th and 7th Streets). The 9-story, 175,000-square-foot tower was designed by 2005 Pritzker Prize winner Thom Mayne and his Morphosis firm (in collaboration with Gruzen Samton) and is seeking at least a LEED Gold rating, with Platinum still a possibility. Cooper Union calls the project New York City's first green academic building; the space will house the school's architecture, engineering, humanities and social sciences departments.
Mayne's design includes a number of interesting green design features. The building's exterior is clad in semi-transparent stainless-steel panels which can be opened by the facility manager. The panels will serve both as an aesthetic design feature, as well as a screen from the sun during summer months and insulation during colder weather. The tower will also include a cogeneration system, a green roof, automatic light dimmers, low-flow plumbing fixtures, and radiant heating and cooling. Cooper Union is still searching for a donor to name the building; you can check out extensive images of the project here.
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