3. Price Center/Block Pavilion, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

The Price Center/Block Pavilion is a “genetic and translational medicine” research center at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the northern Bronx. It features a distinctive glass prow at its entrance, reflecting an emphasis on openness and interaction. Completed in 2008 and designed by Boston-based Payette, each floor contains “open laboratories where biomedical researchers may easily consult with one another.”

Courtesy of Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Spiral stairs, which are visible through the prow, serve both functional and symbolic purposes. With their prominent placement and attractive design, they provide healthy alternatives to elevators and are intended to facilitate informal social interactions. They are also modeled on DNA strands.

Images courtesy of Albert Einstein College of Medicine

The stairs have become a signature feature not only of the building, but of Albert Einstein College of Medicine as a whole. The college’s logo was updated to feature an illustration of the stairs, or DNA, depending on one’s perspective.