Baltimore-Rotterdam architecture exchange 2024

Photos of Rotterdam and Baltimore's waterfront. Logos of the partners: Morgan SA+P, RAvB, BRSCC. Title, dates, and participants of the 2024 exchange.

Students and faculty from Morgan State University School of Architecture + Planning (SA+P) and design professionals will travel to Baltimore’s sister city of Rotterdam in the Netherlands in March 2024. Students will participate in design workshops that are intended to provide input to the International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (IABR). The trip also includes visits to design firms and architecture schools, architecture tours, lectures, the city of Amsterdam, and more. Community-centered design and environmental sustainability are the focus for this exchange.

In Fall 2024, professionals and researchers from Rotterdam and Amsterdam, along with faculty and students from the Rotterdam Academy of Architecture and Urban Design (RAvB) will reciprocate the exchange by coming to Baltimore. They will participate in design workshops and learn about methodologies and local initiatives for community-based urban development in Baltimore.

Professor Cristina Murphy (SA+P) and Thijs van Spaandonk (Bright) are the lead organizers/curators for the 2024 exchange. The 2024 exchange continues an ongoing collaboration between SA+P Professor Cristina Murphy and RAvB since 2019.

Sponsorship opportunities

We invite your firm to become a Sponsor to help cover travel and related costs for Morgan students, faculty, and chaperones for their trip to Rotterdam. There is also an opportunity for sponsors to join the March 2024 trip to experience the culture and innovative architecture in the Rotterdam region. The trip will be around March 8-15, 2024. Sponsors are welcome to stay longer than the delegation’s trip dates and visit even more cities, such as Utrecht, Delft, and cities in Belgium.

Experiential travel education is an impactful opportunity for students to gain global understanding and exchange ideas about architectural design, planning, resiliency, and sustainability. Students who attended past Baltimore-Rotterdam exchanges shared that it was “eye-opening” and that the buildings there “are very creative; they build in less linear fashion; it will influence my designs”. They appreciated the “exposure to different environments and design”; it “enhanced our mindset of what it means to be an architect” and made them “want to work internationally.” Morgan State is a leading HBCU (Historically Black College / University). The architecture and urban design profession suffers from a longstanding lack of diversity — your support will help enrich Morgan students’ education and thereby help bring more Black students into this profession.

The Baltimore-Rotterdam Sister City Committee is leading this fundraising campaign on behalf of the students and faculty.

Why be a sponsor?

Your support ensures that students and faculty will be able to travel abroad.
Opportunity for you to meet potential interns and new hires through this program.
Great visibility — reach people in the architecture and real estate industries in Maryland and internationally.

Sponsorship levels & benefits

Sponsorship levels: Copper: $300; Bronze $500; Silver $1,00; Gold $1,500; Platinum $12.000. All levels receive: Promotion on event page, social media, post-trip report & presentations. Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum receive admission to event with Dutch architecture delegation. Silver, Gold, Platinum receive opportunity to participate in the trip to Rotterdam in March 2024 *. Gold , Silver receive invitations to design reviews at Morgan for NOMA competition. Platinum has choice of a custom add-on benefit **.

* Silver, Gold, Platinum sponsors may send 1-2 representatives to take part in our customized tours and visits. You will be responsible for your own airfare, accommodations, and meals; we will be happy to point you to inexpensive options. This is a unique opportunity to partake in a low-cost architecture-focused overseas trip!
* Platinum Sponsors may also add any of the following custom benefits: Give a lecture at Morgan State SA+P; be included in tours for Dutch delegation visiting Baltimore; host architecture students for an office tour.

Contact us to become a sponsor

Email .

The Baltimore-Rotterdam Sister City Committee (part of Baltimore Sister Cities) is leading this fundraising campaign. Baltimore Sister Cities is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit; donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.

The Morgan students are also doing fundraising!

The faculty and students are creating charming Baltimore-themed “CityScape” ornaments and magnets to sell at holiday market tables and other events this winter. Stop by their table at:

32nd Street Farmers Market in Waverly on December 9, 16, & 23 (Saturday mornings)
AIA Baltimore’s annual meeting & holiday party at 4TEN on Friday December 8 (4-6pm)
Waverly Commons Lighting event on Friday December 8 (5:30-8pm)
Station North Holiday Market on Saturday December 9 (12:30-5:30pm)