Baltimore Sun

For its office relocation and renovation, The Baltimore Sun looked to SOM to seamlessly combine its workplace and printing operations and create a welcoming, state-of-the-art environment for its employees. The result is a highly-collaborative space that celebrates the history and mission of the revered newspaper.



With the publication’s lease expiring at its downtown location, The Baltimore Sun decided to move its operations to the company’s printing facility in Baltimore’s up-and-coming Port Covington district. SOM was challenged with transforming a highly-compartmentalized, outdated, manufacturing space into a collaborative, welcoming environment for both the office employees and printing team. A detailed site analysis was performed to identify the best location for the company’s front door, resulting in a new entry vestibule and enhanced arrival experience. Past the reception area, a centrally located “living room” offers a variety of seating types for varied work styles and a hospitality zone with coffee and meeting rooms. The multi-purpose space is widely used for remote work and social activities and serves as the focal point of the building. A glass wall provides an acoustical barrier between the living room and the reporters, while preserving a visual connection to the fast-paced newsroom.



New furniture standards with sit-stand capabilities, a combination of benching and 120-degree workstations fitted with monitors, and enhanced lighting create a bright and engaging space that fosters the inherently collaborative culture of a newsroom. A detailed graphics program was implemented to reinforce the publication’s identity and mission, highlighting key moments in its history, including “page one” and Pulitzer Prize walls. Additional amenities include a new recording studio, employee locker rooms and showers, and upgraded HVAC systems.



The renovation allows The Baltimore Sun to streamline its operations and provides an inspirational space for its employees to serve the community through honest reporting and storytelling.