Lobby at 95 Columbus | Columbia Property Trust

Jersey City, NJ

The revitalization of a Jersey City lobby to reflect the booming community that surrounds it.

The reinvention of 95 Columbus contributes to the ongoing revitalization of its surrounding retail and business district. An upgraded façade, a modernized lobby, cutting-edge technology, and an emphasis on wellness are just a few strategic ways the design places tenant and visitor experience at the forefront.

Connecting the architecture to the fabric of the city.

The pinnacle of the building’s redesign is an all-glass entrance and vestibule that seamlessly connects to the neighborhood and fills the triple-height lobby with abundant natural light. To bring human scale and warmth to the expansive space, a grid of light fixtures is suspended over the reception area along with strategically placed seating and meeting areas. A custom-designed reception desk made of polished granite and oxidized metal offsets the lobby to allow for better circulation. Adding some visual punch, the building’s address number, “95”, is branded in backlit appliqué at the entry and repeated inside as a unique design detail. Brushes for Beuys (Gregory Coates, 2021), a series of large, shaped canvases on the wall near the elevator bank, brings a note of playfulness and urbanism.

Other finishes include a pattern of brass inlays in the Terrazzo flooring that is carried from the lobby into the pavers outside. A combination of vertical and custom fabricated horizontal concrete panels replaced the lobby’s former monolithic dark granite. Dark-stained wood paneling and pops of color in the furnishings draw attention to the lounge and meeting areas and provide contrast to the overall neutral palette.