Columbia University

Columbia University's new Gary C. Comer Geochemistry Building at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in Palisades, New York recently earned three separate design awards: R&D Magazine's 2009 Lab of the Year, a 2009 Sustainable Design Award from EPA and the Boston Society of Architects, and an Excellence in Architecture in a New Building from AIA and the Society for College and University Planning. Each of the awards were given to Boston-based architects Payette, which designed the 63,000-square-foot structure. The building is named for the late Lands End founder Gary Comer, who provided construction funding and was a supporter of the climate change research at Lamont-Doherty which will continue at the building.