Rockefeller University River Building

New York, NY

The Niarchos Foundation-Rockefeller River Campus added two acres to the Rockefeller University’s East Side Manhattan footprint by erecting a 900-foot, three-story structure over the FDR drive – a major traffic artery that sees more than 175,000 cars per day and runs along the edge of the East River. The bridge-like structure was prefabricated in 19 sections and barged to the site from 32 miles away in New Jersey. Each prefabricated module was shipped with two levels of concrete slab, lighting, and fire suppression services for over the roadway, as well as necessary connections for existing buildings on campus, and installed overnight using a barge crane.

Planned for more than a year, each of the 19 midnight installations was a carefully orchestrated sequence that took into account the tide, which rises and falls approximately three feet, and the river current, which flows at approximately six miles per hour, in addition to more traditional coordination considerations. The platform now serves as the foundation for three buildings: a two-story 136,000-square-foot research facility, a 20,500-square-foot Health & Wellness Center, and a 5,000-square-foot Interactive Conference Center.

View the installation of one module here