Project Feature: Bowie State University

Our newest project feature is located at Bowie State University in Maryland, an institution that strives to embody empowerment, justice, equity, love, and community. Bowie State’s new Martin Luther King Jr. Communication Arts & Humanities Building opened its doors in late 2024. Imagined as an educational hub to connect students and faculty across various disciplines and fields of study, the facility was designed to inspire collaboration, interaction and imagination. The building houses the Department of Communication, History and Government, Language, Literature and Cultural Studies and Military Science (ROTC).

Global architecture firm Perkins+Will thoughtfully designed this 192,000 square foot building to provide an abundance of natural daylight and collaborative spaces, and to serve as a space that would amplify the power of voice and self-expression. The building houses a 1,500 seat auditorium, two radio and television studios, a ROTC plaza, an amphitheater, and more.

The structural glass façades at the north and south faces of the building were designed, engineered and supplied by Sentech Architectural Systems. The façades total approximately 11,207 square feet of structural glass and span over 48-ft tall. Sentech’s VetraFin T-Series System includes HSS carbon steel vertical interior fins and stainless-steel toggles. The VetraFin T-Series System is a highly efficient toggle connection system for façades with either full-height face glass or horizontal joints. The system allows for efficient field installation of glass units supported by glass fins, metal fins or steel trusses. This proprietary system offers unparalleled flexibility in design and finish options, offering simple lines, minimal connections and a unique look with no exterior hardware, bolts or plates. It can be used with monolithic, laminated or insulated glass.