Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) has unveiled its design for the new global headquarters for Baltimore-based investment management firm T. Rowe Price. Comprised of two buildings linked by a lobby atrium, the project includes 470,000 square feet of office space and takes advantage of its location on the waterfront, offering a walkable connection between a landscaped central plaza and the adjacent 4.5-acre Point Park designed by iO Studio.
"T. Rowe Price's headquarter campus cements our firm's focus on creating impactful urban architecture," commented Forth Bagley, KPF Managing Principal. "An important lynchpin in Harbor Point, the project represents a collective commitment to the continual upgrade of Baltimore's iconic waterfront. We are thrilled to be a part of this important milestone."
"The T. Rowe Price headquarters building seeks to create a hyper porosity, both visual and physical, from the Central Plaza down to the harbor," added Jeffrey Kenoff, KPF Design Principal.
The pedestrian-scaled structures are thoughtfully detailed in metal and glass, and incorporate wood & other natural materials at the entrance. Large windows in the lobby atrium and office spaces offer views of the harbor and bring natural light into the interior spaces.
"The façade specifically reduces the scale of the massing through a cadence of grey double-height bays that echo the city's historical DNA and industrial heritage," Kenoff explained.
"Our design for the T. Rowe Price Headquarters focuses on the pedestrian scale and sustainability," said Greg Mell, AIA, KPF Senior Associate Principal. "The same façade elements that give the building scale - the glass-to-solid ratio - also mitigate solar heat gain increasing the building's overall performance. The design also includes green roofs for stormwater runoff mitigation, and incorporates high-efficiency DOAS mechanical systems which provide greater occupant comfort."
"Thinking about the future of work in a post-COVID era, buildings will continue to blur the line between work and amenity spaces, offering more flexibility and greater connection between indoors and outdoors," said Tulip Yeung, KPF Associate Principal. "For the T. Rowe Price Headquarters, we are designing multi-level terraces, a lobby atrium, and courtyard all as flexible meetings and amenity areas. These spaces will provide opportunities for collaboration in a variety of informal settings."
The site is located on the waterfront to the west of Wills Wharf and south of the Central Plaza and the Exelon Building. In addition to its offices, the headquarters also includes 50,000 square feet of retail plus amenity spaces. Harbor Point is a 27-acre waterfront neighborhood located between Harbor East and Fell's Point in Baltimore, Maryland. Currently under development, the mixed-use project will ultimately encompass three million square feet of office, retail, residential, and hotel uses, as well as 9.5 acres of open space. The master-planned community includes new public infrastructure in the form of public roads and utilities, open space, and an extension of the waterfront promenade, all complementing buildings and public parking that are privately financed.
The project is slated to break ground in early 2022, with building completion slated for mid-2024.
Images: Atchain, Courtesy of KPF