News

Fri, 12/19/2025 - 12:00

When a procession of red ants made a run at the communion chalice during a balmy Sunday morning mass, Reverend Lauren Bloom knew she had a problem. The outdoor amphitheatre at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Eastport, Md.—a cherished spot for community festivals, support groups, and outdoor worship—had always been harmonious with its natural backdrop, a peaceful pocket on the church property frequented by animals and insects. But time, the elements (and in this case, the ants) were threatening that divine coexistence.

Fri, 12/19/2025 - 12:00

Abby Chi’s grandfather is such a fixture at his community pool that many of the children taking swim lessons alongside his daily laps know him by name: Mister Hi. But Mister Hi isn’t his actual name.“It’s because he always waves hi,” laughs Chi, who used the anecdote, and her tight-knit relationship with her two sets of grandparents, as inspiration for her thesis: An adaptive reuse project that’s one part wellness facility for seniors, one part daycare, creating intergenerational opportunities for connection, teaching and learning, and friendship. 

Thu, 12/04/2025 - 12:00

Julia Campbell ’20, M.Arch ‘22 Samanty Habib’ 21 M.Arch ‘23, and Judy Tram ‘20, M.Arch, M.C.P. ‘24 join an elite cadre of early-career designers selected for the Emerging Professional (EP) Awards Program Class of 2026, a leadership development and mentorship program through AIA Potomac Valley (AIAPV). Campbell, Habib and Tram will participate in a year-long mentorship program with members of AIAPV’s Fellows community. They were three of five individuals selected this year.

Tue, 11/25/2025 - 12:00

Twenty minutes north of Maryland’s bustling downtown Bethesda, Montgomery County’s vast Agricultural Reserve could be another planet. But among the agrarian outposts nestled along serene, rolling fields is a barn that could easily fit into both: with a seemingly endless backdrop of blue sky, it's a sleek interpretation of its rural counterparts and the state’s latest destination for sampling Maryland-grown spirits at their source.

Wed, 10/01/2025 - 12:00

In the summer of 2006, University of Maryland Professor Emeritus Lindley Vann and 19 architecture students traveled to the Bay of Naples to explore an ancient city, lost in ash. Over the next 20 years, factions of students returned each summer to participate in a global effort to excavate and document one of the last surviving Italian villas that once catered to the Roman elite. 

Fri, 09/26/2025 - 12:00

A fire station designed from ashes, an homage to a Civil War turning point and a refuge for oyster recovery were just some of the University of Maryland student projects to amass accolades at this year’s AIA Maryland Excellence in Design Awards. They joined nearly a dozen alums and faculty honored for projects that exemplify sustainable and beautiful design and contribute to the public realm.