Southern Maryland Autonomous Research and Technology (SMART) Building

USM at Southern Maryland, California, MD

The Southern Maryland Autonomous Research and Technology (SMART) Building is located at the University System of Maryland (USM) at Southern Maryland near the US Naval Air Warfare Center and the UM Unmanned Aircraft Systems Test Site. The center was created by the Maryland General Assembly to serve as the regional education and research institution for Southern Maryland.

The building has been designed for industry and government partners to collaborate with academic faculty and students on translational engineering research that grows new jobs in the region. Research focuses on developing technologies for unmanned aerial and aquatic vehicles. The building houses classrooms, laboratories, conference spaces, and faculty offices. The proximity of research labs to academic and meeting areas promotes interaction, and generous interior glazing showcases ‘engineering in action’ to visitors and building users.

The project transforms a surface parking lot into a new campus quadrangle with connective pedestrian paths and bioswales to manage stormwater. Materials were mindfully selected to reflect the campus image and character.