by Shane Henson — April 5, 2013—The University of Baltimore School of Law is raising the bar for other educational institutions constructing eco-friendly buildings with the April opening of its new John and Frances Angelos Law Center. The center is expected to be one of the most environmentally sustainable public buildings in Maryland and a landmark progressive structure among U.S. law schools.
Designed by architect Stefan Behnisch of Behnisch Architekten of Stuttgart, Germany, in partnership with Baltimore’s Ayers Saint Gross Inc., the building is anchored near Baltimore’s bustling Penn Station in the heart of a growing midtown, and overlooks the Jones Falls Expressway and the North Charles Street corridor.
From its many spaces designed to encourage informal meetings between students and professors, to its broad interspersing of offices, classrooms and study areas, the 12-story, 190,000-square-foot building supports the law school’s intent to deliver a 21st-century curriculum that is rooted in and strengthened by community service and excellent preparation for the next generation of lawyers.
Sustainable features of the center include cutting-edge technologies for heating and cooling, and rainwater capture and re-use. School officials have also made a commitment to recycle at least 50 percent of construction materials and to use at least 10 percent recycled materials in the building.
According to school officials, the building’s glass-and-steel exterior and stunning, light-filled interior promises bold and exciting approaches to the teaching of law, at a time when the legal profession and the global economy are compelling the next generation of lawyers to think harder about their career paths and their place in the profession.
