University of Maryland at Baltimore

Location: Baltimore, Maryland

Project: Schools of Law and Social Work

Description: A major campus feature, namely the Central Courtyard, and extensive streetscape improvements are included in this project. Edgar Allan Poe, whose body is entombed in the adjacent churchyard, actually had a posthumous influence on the design of the courtyard. Site walls and a focal fountain feature were inspired by Poe’s mausoleum that is rich in the tradition of granite architectural detailing.

The fountain brings a sense of local culture to the urban plaza -- a characteristic much appreciated by the students. The streetscape utilizes multiple paving patterns and materials as well as walls, planters, and seating, which were introduced as way-finding tools and to offer opportunities for incidental learning.