The project is part of Columbia University's master plan for its new campus, an academic and multipurpose hub that aims to create shared opportunities between education, business, culture and the Harlem neighborhood community. 

The buildings were funded through the generous donations of two of the school's alumni, Ronald Perelman and Henry Kravis, and were named after them: The Ronald O. Perelman Center for Business Innovation and the Henry R. Kravis Building.

One of the most distinctive aspects of the project is the architectural and engineering solution of curtain walls and cladding, which give the buildings a crystalline and dynamic appearance. The facades are composed of glass panels of different sizes, transparencies and orientations, reflecting light and the surrounding landscape and creating striking visual effects. The glass panels are supported by a steel and concrete structure, which also integrates thermal and acoustic insulation functions.

To build the facades, Columbia University contracted AZA INT, which developed and designed unique geometries for the facade structures, meeting the design requirements and stringent performance criteria required for this project. The project, which involved the coordination of several companies, required extremely detailed BIM coordination.