PROJECT  Bowie State University, Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Communication Arts and Humanities

ARCHITECT  Perkins&Will

LOCATION  Bowie, Maryland, US​

PROJECT COMPLETION DATE  5/1/2024

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN TEAM  Carl Knutson, AIA; Paul Harney, AIA; Renee Rodriguez, AIA; Thomas Butcavage, FAIA; Kate Carrico; Katie Janson; Brittany McNairy; Joshua Rubin, AIA; Veronica Hernandez; Laura McMullan; Elaine Zhang; Keegan Wilson; Christine Burton; Mike Johnson II; Marta Fenollosa, AIA
OWNER/CLIENT  Bowie State University
CONTRACTOR/CONSTRUCTION MANAGER  Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
PHOTOGRAPHER  Halkin Mason Photography; Lincoln Barbour
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
CIVIL ENGINEER Site Resources
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER  Columbia Engineering
MECHANICAL ENGINEER  Mueller Associates
ELECTRICAL ENGINEER  Mueller Associates
CONSULTANT  Plumbing / Fire Protection Engineer: WFT Engineering
CONSULTANT  Geotechnical Engineer: SaLUT-TLB
CONSULTANT  FF&E Specialist: KPN Architecture
CONSULTANT  AV / IT: Sextant Group
CONSULTANT  Security, Acoustics: Convergent Technology Design Group
CONSULTANT  Energy Modeling: Setty
CONSULTANT  Lighting Design: MCLA
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SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT  
Bowie State University’s Martin Luther King Jr. Center is an integral part of the campus experience, collecting and connecting students across various fields into a facility that is designed to encourage student self-expression and foster a collaborative environment for learning and creativity. The Center replaces an outdated facility of the same name, providing customized, technology-rich learning environments for studies in communication and humanities disciplines. It houses the Departments of Language, Literature and Cultural Studies; History and Government; Communications and Military Science, as well as performing arts spaces. Specialty learning environments include recording studios, professional radio and TV broadcast studios, video editing rooms, a GIS lab, a resource library, tech-equipped multi-media classrooms, a flexible auditorium and event space, an outdoor amphitheater, and more.

JURY COMMENTS (If applicable)

A vessel for voice and memory, this center extends Dr. King’s legacy into the future; where the power of speech, performance, and storytelling continue to shape collective dignity. Its architecture frames these acts--through auditoria, studios, and gathering spaces--so that the spoken word reverberates as built form, an idea that is also cemented in the rhythm of the facade. 

IMAGES (Captions and Photographer Credit)
1. The new communication arts and humanities building equips students with “the courage to face the uncertainties of the future.” Halkin Mason Photography
2. The new communication arts and humanities building equips students with “the courage to face the uncertainties of the future.” Halkin Mason Photography
3. An open atrium and central stair connect the Community Inflection to classrooms and offices in the east wIng. Furnishings create places to gather but are designed to be removed to accommodate events and receptions for performances in the adjacent auditorium. Halkin Mason Photography
4. In a poignant tribute to service and sacrifice, the north “Inflection” space of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center features a memorial to Lt. Richard Collins III, a Reserve Officer Training Corp (ROTC) candidate at BSU whose life was tragically cut short in a hate crime. Etched into felt panels, Lt. Collins’ image stands as a lasting reminder of the importance of unity, resilience, and remembrance in the face of adversity. ©Lincoln Barbour - www.lincolnbarbour.com
5. Bowie State’s 160-year history of empowering change is reflected in the Historical Legacy Corridor. Each panel pairs academic skills with notable events, showcasing the heritage of the university. Halkin Mason Photography
6. Specialty learning environments include recording studios, professional radio and TV broadcast studios, video editing rooms, a GIS lab, a resource library, tech-equipped multi-media classrooms, and more. Halkin Mason Photography
7. The pattern of louvres and windows on the façade is a translated waveform of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s voice from his 1964 Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech, calling us to have the “courage to face the uncertainties of the future.” Halkin Mason Photography
8. Halkin Mason Photography