Reimagining the gateways into downtown Baltimore.
Design Baltimore: Gateways is a two-phase open competition calling on architects, designers, artists, engineers, and community voices to transform three major vehicular arrivals into the city.
Three arrivals. One Baltimore.
I-295 / I-95 / Russell Street
Baltimore's ceremonial entrance sequence — where sports, waterfront ecology, entertainment, and infrastructure collide.
I-395 / Conway Street / Howard Street
A civic arrival corridor connecting Baltimore's tourism, sports, convention, entertainment, and cultural ecosystems.
I-83 / President Street / Jonestown
A civic heritage corridor reconnecting Baltimore's historic core, cultural memory, and future urban identity.
The initiative
Administered by the Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC), Design Baltimore: Gateways follows a two-phase structure — an open ideas phase with a submissions deadline of August 23, 2026 and a jury review deadline of September 17, 2026, followed by a design-build implementation phase in 2027. Phase 1 award does not guarantee Phase 2 selection; Phase 2 is governed by a separate agreement and is subject to funding and BDC approval.
Phase 1 carries a total prize pool of $300,000. Phase 2 implementation budget reaches up to $3 million per corridor.