Unknown Studio to design Roland Water Tower Park

Unknown Studio is honored to have been awarded the commission to redesign Roland Water Tower Park, an historic greenspace that has evolved from civil infrastructure and transportation hub to community greenspace and home to beloved peregrine falcons. Our studio is thrilled to kick off public engagement for this gem of a park in order to design a space that serves the needs of the immediate neighborhoods and greater Baltimore. 

Roland Water Tower, located at 4210 Roland Ave, is at the nexus of four neighborhoods: Hoes Heights, Rolden, Roland Park, and Hampden. This 1-acre site sits within the context of the much larger Olmsted Brothers Plan for Roland Park and is an integral piece of North Baltimore’s mosaic of greenspaces.

The historic tower was built in 1905 to provide water for Hampden; in 1930 the reservoir system replaced this need, so the tower became the turnaround spot for streetcars. In the 1960s buses replaced streetcars, and today the space acts as a landmark for surrounding neighbors and an ideal roost for falcons. This iconic building has played an important role in the city since its construction. Now that the structure is receiving important reconstruction and stabilization work imperative to its long-term function and survival, the surrounding communities also wish to address the landscape and open space qualities of the site.

For more information on the tower restoration and the park revitalization, watch this space and check: rolandwatertower.org