PROJECT  Graceland Park-O’Donnell Heights ES/MS and Holabird Academy

LOCATION Baltimore, Maryland, US​

ARCHITECT Grimm + Parker Architects

CLIENT Baltimore City Public Schools

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN TEAM Kieran Wilmes, Amy Upton, Paul Bradshaw, Linda Clark, Kat Schooley, Michael Berry, Kristy Price, Ben Plummer

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT SP Arch Inc.
CONTRACTOR CAM Construction Co., Inc.

ENGINEERS
Columbia Engineering, Inc.
MK Consulting Engineers
CMTA Engineers
Setty & Associates

PHOTOGRAPHER Martice Tucker

CONSULTANTS (if applicable)
Owner Construction Agent: CBRE | HEERY, Kamau Iandiataiyero, kamau.iandiataiyero@cbre.com
Food Service Consultant: Hopkins Foodservice Specialists, Inc., Richard Hopkins, rhopkins@hopkinsfoodservice.com
Sustainability Consultant: The Sheward Partnership, Michael Pavelsky, mwp@tsparch.com

PROJECT COMPLETION DATE  8/21/2020

PROJECT SUMMARY
Tucked in the inner city of Baltimore, two outdated existing elementary/middle schools, Graceland Park-O’Donnell Heights and Holabird Academy, were in desperate need of replacement. Baltimore City Public Schools was eager to design a new prototype with a world class program to integrate collaborative teaching, learning, and equitable sustainable design in their resource-constrained school district. Both replacement schools opened during the pandemic and have welcomed students from Pre-K through Grade 8 back with inspiring and healthy new learning environments that are the city’s first two Zero Energy and LEED Platinum schools. Located within three city blocks of each other and five miles east of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, the two new schools are based on a new, 94,000 sf prototype design that demonstrates Baltimore’s focus on project-based learning, sustainability, and energy-conscious design for schools in an urban environment. Both schools serve under-resourced neighborhoods with high poverty rates and high numbers of English language learner students.

With identical footprints, the school’s academic programs are organized into flexible, grade group clusters that feature shared, collaborative learning spaces. A variety of learning environments are provided in each cluster to allow for the accommodation of different student learning styles. Realizing the importance of giving both schools their own character, each has a distinct exterior palette reflecting their individual community identity.

Upon entrance to the schools, students are greeted by school staff in the lobby and adjacent Administration Lobby in a secure vestibule. The main lobby is a nexus of the Gymnasium, Cafetorium, and a colorful seating and display zone called the Wonder Wall. Daylight streams from clerestory windows to these connected spaces, creating a wonderful gathering space for students during the day and the community after hours. The Media Center and Music Rooms are adjacent to their own courtyards and a main stair separates these public spaces with the more private classroom spaces in the wing beyond. The grades are organized in clusters by age group. The youngest scholars (Pre-K, K, and lower elementary) are on the lowest level while the upper elementary and middle school scholars are on the second floor. Science, art, and technology labs anchor the central corridor connections, accessible to all and celebrating STEAM activities with transparent walls and views to the labs inside and outside.

Though the floor plans are identical, the two schools have completely different community partnership programs within and unique sites outside. Utilizing the sites as teaching tools, the schools are equipped with student vegetable and herb gardens, rainwater cisterns, outdoor classrooms, rooftop solar labs, and vegetative roofs that further push innovation while intertwining sustainable concepts in education – staying true to their mission to nurture, engage, and empower the whole child for life-long excellence.

JURY COMMENTS (if applicable)

IMAGES – CAPTIONS & CREDITS

Image 1  Exterior Entry of Holabird Academy © Martice Tucker
Image 2  Exterior Entry of Holabird Academy © Martice Tucker
Image 3  The Wonder Wall © Martice Tucker
Image 4  Exterior Entry of Graceland Park - O'Donnell Heights ES/MS © Martice Tucker
Image 5  Cafetorium with Borrowed Daylight © Martice Tucker
Image 6  Solar Lab © Martice Tucker
Image 7  Collaborative Cluster © Martice Tucker
Image 8  Empowering Students through Play and Project-Based Learning © Martice Tucker

MEDIA FOR DOWNLOAD
Project PDF