Bowie State University, Martin Luther King, Jr. Center

The importance, representation, connection and experience of sound are essential design themes for the new Martin Luther King, Jr. Center at Bowie State University (BSU), Maryland’s oldest historically Black university.

Inspiring students to harness the power of their voice and free expression, this 192,000-square-foot, three-story facility serves as the hub for core studies in communication arts and humanities. Abstract impressions of vocal sound waves from Dr. King’s 1964 Nobel Peace Prize speech are incorporated into the design of the façade and interior finishing of the main entrances echoing his call to have “the courage to face the uncertainties of the future.” ¹

Together with BSU, Perkins&Will’s D.C. and Atlanta studios collaborated on the design, landscape architecture and branded environments. Working with The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company, this two-year design-build project celebrated its grand opening in August 2024. The project is targeting LEED® Gold certification.²

Supporting the new facility’s LEED Gold criteria, optimal acoustic experience, and the health and wellbeing of students and staff, Perkins&Will specified Rockfon acoustic stone wool ceiling panels for the interiors of BSU’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Center. Freedom Materials supplied Pillar Construction with approximately 80,000 square feet of Rockfon Sonar® and Rockfon® Hygienic Plus™ acoustic stone wool ceiling panels installed in Chicago Metallic® suspension systems.

With a focus on visibility, connectivity and storytelling, the design of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center expresses the power of voice and community. Complementing this vision, Rockfon acoustic stone wool ceiling panels harness the power of stone to achieve high-quality sound experiences that contribute to clear communication, concentration and creativity.

According to BSU, the Center’s sustainable features include enhanced indoor air quality, natural daylight and quality indoor lighting, and healthy, low-VOC emitting products.³

Featured throughout the new facility’s interior spaces, Rockfon stone wool ceiling panels deliver smooth modern, aesthetics with an excellent acoustic experience. Providing best-in-class sound absorption, Rockfon Sonar and Hygienic Plus acoustic ceiling tiles have a Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) of up to 0.90 and higher. The white surface of the panels offers high light reflectance to maximize the Center’s natural daylight and quality indoor lighting. In addition, Rockfon’s ceiling panels have a Class A fire performance rating, inherently resist moisture and sagging even at 100 percent humidity, and do not support the growth of mildew or mold.

Stone wool is made from abundant, natural basalt stone and recycled content. The Rockfon ceiling panels installed in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center also are UL® GREENGUARD Gold Certified for Office and Educational Environments, a stringent validation recognizing products that contribute to healthy indoor air quality. Rockfon provides UL Certified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), Health Product Declarations (HPDs) and Declare Labels to help design teams and facility managers make informed decisions to support occupants’ health, safety and wellness.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center provides customized, technology-rich learning environments for BSU students’ studies in communication and humanities disciplines. It serves as the home to the Departments of Language, Literature and Cultural Studies; History and Government; Communications and Military Science. Here, students sharpen their skills in digital, broadcast and print communications in two advanced television studios, streaming and podcasting studios, digital editing labs, custom-designed vocal recording booth and an advanced digital screening room.

Specialized spaces for developing writing and language studies also are available along with 18 flexible general classrooms and two 150-seat tiered classrooms. A 1,500-seat auditorium designed for maximum flexibility provides capability to host campus and community events.¹

Throughout these educational and inspirational spaces, Perkins&Will specified Rockfon Sonar stone wool ceiling panels with a 0.95 NRC and a 0.85 Light Reflectance to support exceptional acoustics and illumination. Meeting the project’s required performance and desired appearance, Pillar Construction installed four different rectangular sizes of Rockfon Sonar in Chicago Metallic 4000 Tempra 9/16-inch suspension systems, finished to match the panel color. Displaying a uniform, modern look, all these ceilings showcase an elegant, lightly textured surface and a square tegular narrow edge design.

Within the Center, designated space for BSU’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program also enhances the experience cadets receive with a classroom dedicated to the future Army officers, a fitness center and an outdoor training plaza.¹

Rockfon Hygienic Plus acoustic stone wool ceiling panels installed in Chicago Metallic 1200 15/16-inch suspension systems offer an ideal solution for fitness areas, locker rooms, bathrooms, kitchens, cafeterias and other rooms where cleanliness is imperative. These high-performance panels meet ISO Class 5 and 14644-1 standards for clean room-quality, low particle emissions for better air cleanliness and do not contribute to the growth of harmful microorganisms including MRSA.

The edges of Rockfon Hygienic Plus 2-by-2-foot ceiling panels are sealed to withstand more rigorous cleaning methods by BSU’s maintenance team. Low-maintenance materials like stone wool require less labor and fewer repairs for efficient operations that respect the long-term, economic investment by taxpayers in their public universities.

Rockfon acoustic stone wool ceiling tiles and panels have a 30-year warranty and long lifespan, contributing to commercial and industrial projects’ interior designs and overall footprint. Anticipating future needs, Rockfon customers also can fully support their building project sustainability goals by bringing their end-of-life stone wool acoustic ceiling tiles and panels to Rockfon/ROCKWOOL manufacturing facilities in Mississippi and West Virginia. Stone wool can be repeatedly recycled while maintaining its essential performance properties.

Bowie State’s 160-year history of empowering change is reflected in the Historical Legacy Corridor that presents a graphical representation of the bridge between values and actions – skills essential for success on campus and in life. Images and words are intertwined to reflect how values and actions have been expressed throughout BSU and American history. Each panel pairs academic skills with notable events, showcasing the heritage of the university.

A vibrant mural titled “Conversation,” by Victor Ekpuk, a Washington, D.C. artist, hangs in the atrium of the south auditorium entrance. The artwork celebrates Bowie State University’s history as a diverse institution and Dr. King’s ideals of empowerment, justice, equity, love and community.

Before the Center was even built, its design earned recognition by American Institute of Architects – Washington, D.C. chapter; the District Architecture Center; and the Washington Architectural Foundation. The project received an Honorable Mention in the 2022 Unbuilt Washington Awards.⁶

In August 2024, Maryland state and local officials, BSU leaders and project partners gathered to cut the ribbon and officially open the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center. Completed on time and under budget the project was made possible with state funding as part of the University System of Maryland.¹

Bowie State University’s new Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Communication Arts & Humanities offers a vibrant environment for learning and creativity designed by Perkins&Will to inspire students to harness the power of their voice and free expression to shape the future. Complementing this vision and the facility’s modern interior, Rockfon acoustic stone wool ceiling panels harness the power of stone to enhance an optimal acoustic experience while supporting the project’s LEED Gold sustainability criteria, and the health and wellbeing of students and staff.

^Sources

^{¹ Bowie State University, “Bowie State University Celebrates Opening of Martin Luther King, Jr. Center;” Aug. 28, 2024; https://bowiestate.edu/about/news/2024/bowie-state-university-celebrates-opening-of-martin-luther-king-jr-center.php}

^{² Perkins&Will, “Groundbreaking Ceremony for the new Communication Arts and Humanities Building at Bowie State University;” May, 17, 2022; https://perkinswill.com/news/groundbreaking-ceremony-for-the-new-communication-arts-and-humanities-building-at-bowie-state-university/}

^{³ Bowie State University, Martin Luther King, Jr. Center; https://bowiestate.edu/about/administration-and-governance/division-of-administration-and-finance/office-of-facilities-management/capital-projects/mlk-center/, accessed Nov. 10, 2024}

^{⁴ Bowie State University, “Bowie State University Celebrates Opening of Martin Luther King, Jr. Center;” Aug. 27, 2024; 33:37; https://bowiestate.edu/about/news/2024/bowie-state-university-celebrates-opening-of-martin-luther-king-jr-center.php}

^{⁵ Bowie State University, “Bowie State University Celebrates Opening of Martin Luther King, Jr. Center;” Aug. 27, 2024; 8:16; https://bowiestate.edu/about/news/2024/bowie-state-university-celebrates-opening-of-martin-luther-king-jr-center.php}

^{⁶ District Architectural Center, “2022 Unbuilt Washington Awards Winners;” Dec. 6, 2023; https://dcarchcenter.org/blog/2022-unbuilt-washington-awards-winners}