The University of Maryland has a new landmark architectural presence in its new School of Public Policy building.
The building’s design concept is rooted in the spatial typology of the ancient Agora, the birthplace of democratic thought and public discourse. The cascading architectural form follows the natural slope of Chapel Field to form an edge to one of the signature open spaces on campus and shape a carefully orchestrated sequence of interior spaces.
Entrances on the east and west sides connect to a large, communal atrium designed to encourage chance meetings, informal study, and interdepartmental collaboration. On the building’s east side is Do Good Plaza, a shared outdoor event space that establishes a new gateway into campus. Brick cladding and white columns connect visually with Lee Hall to the north while the building’s sculpted massing frames Rossborough Inn to the northeast and memorial Chapel to the southwest.
The four-story building brings together the School’s more than 90 faculty members and over 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students and serves as the headquarters for the Do Good Institute, a campus-wide hub for social innovation, philanthropy, and nonprofit leadership. The facility will also include five instructional spaces ranging in size from 25 to 150 seats, a library, and a rooftop terrace.
See Also: South-West Middle School welcomes its first students
The School of Public Policy is expected to achieve LEED Gold rating with biophilic design elements that will connect occupants to nature, reduce the building’s environmental footprint, and provide healthy and productive spaces for work and study.
Related Stories
Giants 400 | Aug 21, 2022
Top 110 Architecture/Engineering Firms for 2022
Stantec, HDR, HOK, and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill top the rankings of the nation's largest architecture engineering (AE) firms for nonresidential and multifamily buildings work, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Aug 20, 2022
Top 180 Architecture Firms for 2022
Gensler, Perkins and Will, HKS, and Perkins Eastman top the rankings of the nation's largest architecture firms for nonresidential and multifamily buildings work, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Aug 19, 2022
2022 Giants 400 Report: Tracking the nation's largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms
Now 46 years running, Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report rankings the largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. This year a record 519 AEC firms participated in BD+C's Giants 400 report. The final report includes more than 130 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.
Daylighting | Aug 18, 2022
Lisa Heschong on 'Thermal and Visual Delight in Architecture'
Lisa Heschong, FIES, discusses her books, "Thermal Delight in Architecture" and "Visual Delight in Architecture," with BD+C's Rob Cassidy.
AEC Tech | Aug 8, 2022
The technology balancing act
As our world reopens from COVID isolation, we are entering back into undefined territory – a form of hybrid existence.
Multifamily Housing | Aug 4, 2022
Faculty housing: A powerful recruitment tool for universities
Recruitment is a growing issue for employers located in areas with a diminishing inventory of affordable housing.
University Buildings | Jul 11, 2022
Student life design impacts campus wellness
As interior designers, we have the opportunity and responsibility to help students achieve deeper levels of engagement in their learning, social involvement, and personal growth on college campuses.
University Buildings | Jul 6, 2022
Wenzhou-Kean University opens a campus building that bridges China’s past and future
After pandemic-related stops and starts, Wenzhou-Kean University’s Ge Hekai Hall has finally begun to see full occupancy.
University Buildings | Jun 9, 2022
IDEA Factory at U. of Maryland defies gravity
The E.A. Fernandez IDEA Factory at the University of Maryland’s A. James Clark School of Engineering has a gravity-defying form: The seven-story building’s solid upper floors emerge above the lighter, mostly glass base.
University Buildings | Jun 7, 2022
Newfoundland university STEM building emulates natural elements, local traditions
Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) recently opened a new building that will provide interdisciplinary learning and research space for Faculties of Science and Engineering.
