The three-story, 56,000-square-foot Forum, which opened in September 2018, features a 437-seat auditorium, a variety of meeting rooms and offices, and community programming at street level. Offices on the upper floors of The Forum are initially being used by two University-wide Columbia programs: Columbia World Projects, an initiative that aims to bring university research systematically out into the world in the form of projects that will help guide the way to solutions to intractable problems; and the Obama Foundation Scholars, a year-long academic and civic leadership program part of Columbia World Projects designed to strengthen the expertise and knowledge of individuals with a demonstrated ability to be transformative leaders in their communities, nations and the world.
Like all new buildings on the Manhattanville campus, the transparent ground floor is designed to invite the community into the building. The Forum’s street-level space intended for public use includes a café, ample public seating with free Wi-Fi, an information center, and an open area where Columbia’s schools and divisions will offer programming.