SNF Agora Institute at John Hopkins University

Baltimore / USA

The SNF Agora Institute Building will be the home of the academic and public forum devoted to the identification, design, and testing of new mechanisms to strengthen civic engagement and inclusive dialogue worldwide.

The institute draws its name from the ancient Athenian agora, a central space in the city that was a place of open conversation and debate for all citizens. The project will reflect and enhance these goals.

Located on the edge of the Johns Hopkins University campus, the institute will be an active point of connection with the local community, enhancing accessibility and navigability, while embodying the institute's commitment to inclusivity and openness to the broader world outside.

an artist 's impression of a building with a lot of windows and people sitting at tables .

An open space for dialog

Starting from the ground plane, the building will be welcoming and transparent, inviting the local community’s participation and promoting conversation with the campus population. This transparency and openness will be a constant throughout the project.

At every floor there will be a blend of various sized spaces where people can meet – some more formal and structured, others more casual and informal. The program houses faculty offices, labs, classrooms, meeting and seminar rooms, open workspaces, and a large multifunctional room for conferences, speaker presentations, public gatherings, art exhibitions, and more.

a drawing of a park with trees and a building in the middle of it .

a drawing of a building with trees in the background

A floating building

The massing of the building will be shaped to complement the surroundings with a scale that is proper for the site, not overwhelming or casting shadows, but open so that the street level maintains the feeling of a public space.

The project aims to be highly sustainable in both construction methodology and long-term energy needs, which reflects a mission of the Institute – leading discourse through example.

A Floating Building that transforms the site into a public agora

: To achieve the project goals, the building should not “grab” the public land at street level and instead should transform the site into a public “agora” fostering greater community outreach and engagement.