Southwest Baltimore Community Center 1624 W Baltimore St, Baltimore, MD Undergraduate Submission- Studio Project At the intersection of North Mount Street and West Baltimore Street, Baltimore’s Southwest Partnership has identified a 180’ by 430’ plot as a site for potential development. The introduction of a Community Center to the site would provide a hub for the neighborhood and be an important step towards the area’s revitalization. The major programming includes: Assembly Hall, Clinic, Library, Office Suite, Aerial Silk Performance Area, Meeting Rooms, Craft Room, Mobile Library Dock. The main entrance to the community center faces West Baltimore Street and addresses pedestrian traffic from the East. One enters into the library. The library was chosen as the focus of the community center. Programming such as the lobby, assembly hall, craft room, study room and aerial silk performance area, all serve as functions of the library. This is reflected through the use of an open plan. Concrete load-bearing walls create pockets that subdivide the space and create specificity of programming. The core (restrooms, storage) creates another separate area for the assembly hall. The private component of the community center is the “band” which wraps around the library. One half of the band is the clinic (along North Mount Street) and the other half are offices (connected to the library through public meeting rooms). The private band component is differentiated materially (with red brick masonry) from the public spaces (concrete planes and metal roofing). The orchard adjacent to the site is continued onto the community center’s outdoor spaces. Concrete retaining walls subdivide the outdoor spaces (continuation from the interior) and create areas for outdoor programming that lead up to the building from the North edge.