College Park, Maryland, USA
Thurgood Marshall Hall at the University of Maryland reflects the university’s commitment to public service, sustainability, and academic excellence.
Designed by LEO A DALY, the four-story, 77,000-square-foot facility brings together more than 90 faculty members and 1,000 students within a collaborative environment focused on learning and social impact.
Named after Thurgood Marshall, the building represents ideals of justice, equity, and inclusivity.
Thurgood Marshall Hall by Leo A. Daly, won an American Architecture Award 2025 from The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design.
The design draws inspiration from ancient Agoras and Roman Forums, historic gathering spaces for democratic dialogue and civic exchange.
Its cascading form follows the natural slope of Chapel Field, integrating the structure with the surrounding landscape.
The façade combines traditional Georgian architecture with modern transparency, balancing respect for the historic campus aesthetic with the School of Public Policy’s forward-looking mission.
Positioned at a major entrance to campus, Thurgood Marshall Hall serves as both a gateway and a civic landmark.
Its connection to the Do Good Plaza strengthens the university’s emphasis on community engagement and public interaction.
Inside, the building features advanced classrooms, collaborative learning areas, landscaped terraces, and the Do Good Institute, a nonprofit incubator that supports students addressing social and global challenges.
One of the building’s most distinctive features is the deliberative chamber, an oval-shaped glass space designed for United Nations-style debates and multilingual discussions.
Visible from the plaza, the chamber symbolizes transparency, participation, and intellectual exchange. Informal learning spaces throughout the building encourage interaction and collaboration among students and faculty.
Sustainability is central to the project’s design. The building achieves energy savings exceeding ASHRAE 90.1-2010 standards through high-performance glazing, shading systems, and a green roof. Native plants cover most of the surrounding landscape, supporting pollinators and improving ecological performance.
Stormwater strategies, including bio-retention basins and permeable paving, further reinforce the university’s environmental goals.
Biophilic design principles maximize natural light and strengthen connections to outdoor spaces, enhancing occupant well-being.
Beyond campus, Thurgood Marshall Hall functions as a civic resource for the greater Washington, D.C., region.
Its proximity to the Purple Line light-rail station encourages sustainable transportation and accessibility.
The building has also hosted major public events, including post-election remarks by Wes Moore, highlighting its role as a center for civic discourse.
The project was realized through collaboration among architects, engineers, landscape designers, university leaders, students, and faculty.
Today, Thurgood Marshall Hall stands as a symbol of democratic values, sustainable innovation, and inclusive education, setting a benchmark for future academic facilities.
Project:Thurgood Marshall Hall, School of Public Policy University of Maryland
Architects: Leo A. Daly
Design Team: Rauzia Ally, Irena Savakova, Anya Grant, Andrew Graham, and Shanshan Yin
General Contractor: J. Vinton Schafer Construction, LLC.
Client: University of Maryland
Photographers: Ron Blunt and Paul Dingman
