Center Revitalizes Landmark Building’s Streetfront Presence
Quinn Evans has announced that the Baltimore Center for Architecture and Design, which opened in October 2020, has been recognized with a Wavemaker Award from the Baltimore chapter of the Urban Land Institute (ULI). The 3,600-square-foot space is located at One Charles Center, a landmark building designed by world-renowned architect Mies van der Rohe in 1962.
The center serves as the new headquarters for the Baltimore chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Baltimore Architecture Foundation. Quinn Evans was selected to design the space following an AIA Baltimore design competition involving a national jury.
The center is designed to showcase the importance of architecture and the built environment in Baltimore and the role of design in creating equitable, just, healthy, sustainable, and resilient communities. As the former retail space along Fayette Street had been vacant for 15 years, design objectives also included enlivening the building’s long dormant streetfront presence, and bringing increased activity and interest along the street and in Center Plaza, adjacent to the building. AIA Baltimore has envisioned contributing to public programs in the plaza.
Quinn Evans created an adaptable design that supports a variety of programs and educational activities, with an emphasis on community identity and outreach in built form; the use of locally sourced fabrication, procurement, and installation; and the spirit of citizenry and community sustainability.
The Baltimore chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects (Bmore NOMA), Baltimore Heritage, Inc., the Baltimore chapter of ULI, the Maryland chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Maryland chapter of the American Planning Association, and the Charles Street Development Corporation also share program space in the center.
AIA Baltimore is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, so it’s fitting that the chapter now has a dynamic space in which to connect to the community, including design professionals, students, and community members,” says Mark Nook, AIA, principal with Quinn Evans. “It has been an extraordinary opportunity to energize this street-level space within such a landmark building.
The mission of the Urban Land Institute is to shape the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide. The Wavemaker Awards highlight projects that exemplify excellence in planning and design, as well as community impact.
