Design on the Square in Baltimore: Modern Architecture with Strong Urban Contextual Work

Design on the Square is a mid-size architecture practice based in Baltimore that focuses on commercial, residential, and institutional projects with particular attention to how buildings respond to their urban surroundings and existing neighborhood patterns.

What Design on the Square actually is

Design on the Square operates as a full-service architectural firm handling project phases from initial concept through construction administration. The practice emphasizes contextual design, meaning the architects study how a new building sits within its block, street, and neighborhood before developing proposals. This approach sets it apart in Baltimore's market, where many firms treat projects in isolation. The studio works primarily on projects between $2 million and $20 million in construction value, making it accessible to institutional clients and mid-scale developers rather than exclusively serving large corporations or single homeowners.

Services and typical project scope

The firm provides standard architectural services: schematic design, design development, construction documents, and on-site administration. Fees typically run 5 to 8 percent of construction cost, depending on project complexity and the extent of construction oversight. A $5 million project would fall in the $250,000 to $400,000 range for full architectural services. Design on the Square also takes on smaller feasibility and master planning assignments, which charge hourly rates or fixed fees starting around $3,000 to $5,000 for preliminary site analysis and concept sketching.

The firm has built particular competency in adaptive reuse—retrofitting older Baltimore rowhouses, warehouses, and commercial buildings for new uses. These projects often command higher fees because they require existing conditions documentation, code compliance navigation, and structural engineering input.

How it compares to other Baltimore architecture firms

Baltimore's architecture market splits roughly into three tiers. Large national firms like Ayers Saint Gross and Monesson Associates handle universities, hospitals, and municipal civic projects, charging higher fees and bringing extensive precedent databases but less invested presence in neighborhood-scale work. Solo practitioners and two-person practices offer lower fees, often 3 to 4 percent of construction value, and deep relationships with small residential contractors but limited capacity for complex phasing or multiple concurrent projects. Design on the Square sits between: larger than a sole proprietorship, smaller than a 40-person firm, with institutional stability and a portfolio of completed Baltimore work that solo practitioners cannot match.

Choose Design on the Square if your project sits in an existing neighborhood where context matters, you need someone who will show up regularly during construction, and you want fees transparent enough that you're not subsidizing national overhead. Choose a larger firm if you're doing a major institutional campus or hospital system expansion where you need 80 people temporarily dedicated to your job. Choose a solo architect if you're under $500,000 in construction cost and want a close working relationship with someone who will sketch ideas in your living room.

Who this firm suits and who it does not

Design on the Square works best for nonprofit organizations expanding into Baltimore neighborhoods (schools, cultural institutions, social services agencies), developers doing infill residential or mixed-use projects in places like Fells Point or Canton, and institutional clients like Johns Hopkins or the University of Baltimore seeking to strengthen connections between campus and surrounding blocks. The firm has completed work at all three and has earned repeat business from at least two of them.

The practice is less suitable for single-family residential work under $500,000, where the firm's overhead makes fees uncompetitive. It is also not the fit for a client wanting a nationally recognized architect's name on the letterhead for prestige; Design on the Square has earned respect in architectural circles but will not bring star power to a project the way a Pritzker Prize finalist would.

The first engagement

Initial consultation is typically a single meeting (1 to 2 hours, no charge) where the architects walk your site, listen to program requirements, and sketch rough spatial ideas on kraft paper or a tablet. They will ask detailed questions about your site's zoning, setback requirements, and relationship to neighbors. This reconnaissance informs a preliminary fee proposal for schematic design. For a straightforward infill project, schematic design takes 6 to 10 weeks and includes two or three rounds of drawn iterations before moving to the next phase. The firm expects clients to participate actively in design review meetings, not simply receive finished drawings.

Location, hours, and how to reach them

Design on the Square is located in Canton, accessible by foot from the Canton waterfront and by car via Eastern Avenue. The office keeps standard business hours, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parking on the street is available but can be tight during weekday mornings. The firm does not staff an after-hours callback service; email and voicemail receive responses within one business day. Confirm current address and phone number before your first visit, as this information changes occasionally.

Design on the Square's focus on how Baltimore neighborhoods work and its transparent fee structure make it a reliable choice for institutional and commercial clients who view architecture as a tool for place-making, not just building.