Volunteer with NDC

Make space for play! Abbottston Elementary School aims to transform a two acre, vacant lot next to the school into a mixed-use recreation and education space. Uses for the space will be determined by the school, surrounding neighborhood, and local community. Potential features include tot lots, playgrounds, multi-use ball fields, gardens, outdoor classrooms, and hoop farms. Abbottston Elementary School is requesting support from NDC with redesigning this empty property owned by Baltimore City Public Schools. For this project, we are looking for landscape architects and designers with an interest in K-12 education, sustainability and community development along with experience designing sports fields, playgrounds and outdoor classrooms. To volunteer or for any questions, please feel free to reach out to Katryna Carter at kcarter@ndc-md.org.

More opportunities to design spaces around healthy eating! Juice Works would like to create a community hub in Harwood providing event space, employment opportunities, and education around health and nutrition. The building will include spaces to host meetings, workshops, and afterschool programming around juicing and other food and nutrition topics. Juice Works is seeking NDC’s support with conceptual design of this space adjacent to their current juice bar. For this project, we are looking for architects and interior designers with an interest in nutrition and community development along with experience designing event spaces, food prep environments and classrooms. To volunteer or for any questions, please feel free to reach out to Katryna Carter at kcarter@ndc-md.org.

Are you interested in changing the landscape of youth, health and wellness in Baltimore by supporting a supportive community centered around fitness? The leadership of MissionFit is interested in convening an inclusive participatory process to produce an architectural design that addresses inefficient usage of space for both weight training and group classes. Currently, students cram into classrooms with inadequate capacity for their class sizes. MissionFit seeks a design solution that will embody its values as well as provide a place for high-level fitness training and community building to take place. Architects with experience in fitness center and sports club design are encouraged to apply. To volunteer or for any questions please reach out to Katryna Carter at kcarter@ndc-md.org

Are you passionate about keeping north Baltimore’s streets clean and safe? Charles Village Community Benefits District sees the potential in its streets! To determine the best choices for preventing illegal dumping in key locations in this area, our design process will engage neighbors, business owners and other community partners in all stages of the process- from focusing in on the goal, ideating on how to achieve the goal, and prioritizing elements. Won’t you help us keep the Charles Village Community Benefits District as a well-kept place to live, work, and play? Planners, public artists, and environmentalists with an interest in creating community cohesion through design are encouraged to apply. To volunteer or for any questions, please contact Katryna Carter kcarter@ndc-md.org

Calling all retail design experts! The Mount Rainier Artists Lofts at 3311 Rhode Island were established in 2005 to provide affordable housing for artists and their families in a live/work model. They are in need of signage guidelines that address individual commercial tenant needs, resident needs and acknowledge the building's flagship status in the Gateway Arts District. Elements of the guidelines will include signs, lighting, colors and materiality, public art and sidewalk activation, and will build on landscape plans for the area.

Architects and graphic designers with retail signage experience are encouraged to apply. For more information or to express your interest, email Allie O'Neill aoneill@ndc-md.org

Hyattsville Middle School is getting a new building...in 2023. In the meantime, a whole class of students will have graduated. Won’t you help us improve their learning environment by providing design ideas for a welcoming entry and a bright and engaging learning courtyard? Elements of the courtyard that are designed for a more than 5-year lifespan will be reused at the new school. Landscape Architects, Architects, Designers with an interest in learning and creative spaces are encouraged to apply.

Please email Sophie Morley, smorley@ndc-md.org with questions or to express your interest in the project.