Design
Beyond ‘Habitat’
After Moshe Safdie’s thesis project in Montreal brought him instant fame in 1967, a chance to build a new community in Baltimore turned into a reality check.
Moshe Safdie’s first project, Habitat 67 in Montreal, defines his career to this day. But in Baltimore, an incomplete work showcases both the promises and the realities of ambitious community planning in the U.S.
Designed to fill one of the the city’s largest undeveloped areas north of downtown, Coldspring Newtown hosts 225 housing units of an originally planned 3,780. Its projected 100,000 square feet of retail space, 250,000 square feet of office space, a conference center, multiple schools, community facilities, a mini-bus network, and rapid transit service were never built. Yet, in spite of its nearly invisible presence in the city, it’s still a community—one which has housed many satisfied residents.