New York-Presbyterian & Columbia University Medical Campus Joint Master Plan

The Columbia University Medical Center and the New York-Presbyterian Hospital are sister institutions that share the Washington Heights neighborhood as a campus.

SCAPE was commissioned to develop a cohesive public realm that unites these two urban sites by bringing public space, streetscapes, rooftops, and private gardens into the university experience. Streetscape paving materials and vegetation are unified into a distinct and recognizable palette that improves the quality and durability of the urban environment. Remnant and leftover spaces at grade and on structure are re-imagined as welcoming and useful places, expanding the social space of the university. The landscape operates as an outdoor “living room” and introduces spaces for community members, residents, faculty, and students alike to gather, rest, recreate, and socialize. Catalytic projects, including the Chapel Garden and 168th Streetscape, grow the campus into a destination that is greener, more comfortable, and welcoming, physically realizing its status as a world class medical institution.