Civic Impact
Placemaking honors history and curates experience to shape the urban environment. From adaptive reuse to new construction, each project responds to the context of place, introducing perspective that invites new dialogue and interaction.
The new Nature Education Center is nestled in the oasis of the Cylburn Arboretum in the heart of Baltimore City.
Each project begins with an immersive understanding of place: its form, scale, ecosystem, and complex layers of time. Deliberate consideration of social and natural patterns invites engagement and connection.
Springsong Museum anchors the intersection of commerce, community, and nature.
The long and slender River House sits lightly on its sensitive site.
The Maryland 9/11 Memorial's design encourages direct engagement with the artifact from the WTC North Tower.
The missions of institutions, nonprofits, and individuals are amplified through iconic forms, clear expression of values, and integration of beauty and purpose.
The boldly sculptural Brown Center helped MICA earn a national reputation as a leader in arts education.
A dynamic facade transformation energizes and attracts community to The Voxel.
Adapting and repositioning existing buildings balances preservation and transformation, carrying forward what matters while integrating new narratives, modern systems, and memorable identity.
The Hoen Lithography Redevelopment revitalizes East Baltimore by transforming historic industrial buildings into a community campus.
With a belief that community change is catalyzed through investment in the built environment, Z|S works with partners to restore utility, visibility, and dignity in historically disinvested neighborhoods. These projects reintroduce life to underused places and support long-term community use and ownership.
Redevelopment of the historic Upton Mansion creates a permanent home and research center for the AFRO Archives.
The Baltimore Design School is created from an abandoned historic factory building and stabilized a blighted neighborhood.
