Six Firms Presented Concepts
A competition to select a design for a major renovation to the University of Baltimore’s Langsdale Library was won by Behnisch Architekten of Boston, following a series of presentations on Jan. 15 for improving the building. Six architectural firms competed for the chance to redesign and renovate the building so that it is more accessible, energy efficient and more closely tied to the rest of the UB campus as well as the surrounding neighborhood.
“We are thrilled to embark on the design and construction of a new library that will change the lives of students as well as impact the architectural landscape of UB and central Baltimore,” said Lucy Holman, director of Langsdale Library and a participant in the presentations by various architectural firms in UB’s Student Center. “Langsdale’s location makes it a gateway to the campus, and now this transformative design will establish the building as a beacon that reflects UB’s innovation and our determination to offer our students and the community a wonderful place to learn and grow. All of us are looking forward to working with the architect and design team to create a new Langsdale Library—one that is inspiring, exciting and central to student learning.”
Plans will be announced soon for the timetable for design and construction of the building, which is located on the southwest corner of Maryland Avenue and Oliver Street.
The Abell Foundation sponsored the competition with a $75,000 grant, similar to the foundation’s support for UB’s 2008 John and Frances Angelos Law Center design competition. The project’s state funding of approximately $12 million will be supplemented by private fundraising.
Langsdale’s renovation objectives include a new organization of the interior to create a transparent, accessible environment; improvements to the building’s energy efficiency and sustainability; a transformed façade; and other exterior and interior improvements to enhance the facility’s relationship to the campus and the surrounding neighborhood.