The project establishes a centralized home for the University of Baltimore’s Yale Gordon College of Liberal Arts. New life is infused into a formerly dormant, 1927 neo-classical five-story stone-clad structure by reorganizing the interior around a historic circular stair and a new series of contemporary lobbies. The lobbies and corridors filled with daylight also act as gathering spaces and encourage active exchange between students and faculty.
Client
University of Baltimore
Location
Baltimore, Maryland
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Historic stair and lobbies organize the academic departments.
Building section shows historic stair at back, and renovated lobbies featuring the elevator stack.
Main lobby and building entry is filled with daylight.
Upper floor corridors and lounges were designed to maximize daylight and facilitate student-faculty meetings.
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Collector spaces include historic stair, special areas carved into corridors, and classrooms.
Historic central stair is restored and glass canopies are inserted to identify academic departments.
Break-out study areas are carved out of corridors.
Gallery and seating is provided outside classrooms.
State-of-the-art computer classroom is fully flexible, with room darkening capability.
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50-seat tiered classroom provides state-of-the-art venue for lectures, presentations and discussions.
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New stair, old floors
A new egress stair is expressed as a simple, glowing volume.
Coring led to discovery of "metropolitan floor," requiring careful attention to new floor penetrations.
Discovery of "metropolitan floor" system led to forensic load testing.
View shows draped braided wire and reinforced gypsum "metropolitan floor."