University of Baltimore: John & Frances Angelos Law Center

  • 08/01/14
University of Baltimore: John & Frances Angelos Law Center

TOP/BOTTOM LEFT & BOTTOM CENTER PHOTOS © FRANK OCKERT
TOP/BOTTOM RIGHT PHOTOS © BRAD FEINKNOPF

The John & Frances Angelos Law Center at the University of Baltimore functions as an academic and social nexus, offering state-of-the-art teaching and learning facilities. The law center’s design fosters an interactive environment for collaboration between students, faculty and administrators. The building is a highly sustainable 12-story vertical campus designed to reduce reliance on energy and natural resources by minimizing its dependence on mechanical ventilation and artificial lighting of the interiors.

International architecture firm and sustainability experts, Behnisch Architekten, designed the 192,000-square-foot building, which unites classrooms, faculty offices, administrative space and the law library under one roof. As the university’s first large-scale green building, the facility is part of the university’s commitment to Baltimore’s urban renewal and sustainable development.

The building form consists of three interlocking L-shaped volumes, which articulate the functions of the building program — classrooms and offices, the legal clinic and the law library. A narrow atrium rises up through the heart of the building and connects the three volumes.

The atrium functions as the connective tissue between program spaces; it captures the lobby, two coffee bars and informal work and meeting spaces. The connected space creates meeting points that increase opportunities for collaboration and direct interaction between students and faculty.

As one of the first law schools in the country to achieve LEED Platinum status, the law center sets a precedent for higher education facilities by approaching sustainable design from a holistic vantage point. The building is naturally ventilated — which is rare in the United States — and uses LED lighting and optimized natural daylight throughout.

The law center is fast becoming an architectural landmark for the city of Baltimore since its completion in April 2013. It is a recipient of the 2014 AIA COTE Top Ten Green Project Award.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Boise State University Starts Construction on New Academic Building

    Boise State University in Boise, Idaho, recently broke ground on the new ESI Construction Management Building, according to university news. The university is partnering with Engineered Structures, Inc., for the building’s construction.

  • Boosting Student Wellness and Safety Through Indoor-Outdoor School Spaces

    Engaging students through facilities designed for indoor and outdoor learning and activities reflects a growing awareness of how children learn and thrive, with educators recognizing the importance of getting outside and disconnecting from technology. And, as today’s youth grapple with the urgent mental health crisis of increased anxiety and loneliness fueled by both the pandemic and technology, along with a related crisis in youth physical health, the wellness benefits of getting outside have never been so palpable.

  • Schools In Focus: Talking Campus Security with Mitch McKinley

    Furnishing the Future: Adaptive Solutions for Modern Learning Spaces

    On this episode of Schools in Focus, we'll talk about the role that classroom furniture plays in creating adaptive, flexible learning spaces. Our guest is Wesley Edmonds, the Director of Workplace, Adaptive Solutions at OFS.

  • Carnegie Grants R2 Status to East Texas A&M

    East Texas A&M University in Commerce, Texas, recently announced that it has been designated a Research 2 (R2) institution by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, according to a news release. The R2 designation took effect on February 13.