HOLLINS MARKET INTERIOR RENOVATION

LOCATION: Hollins Market, Baltimore, Maryland
YEAR: 2024
SIZE: 11,500 SF
CLIENT: Baltimore Public Markets Corporation

2025 AIA Maryland Design Excellence in Historic Preservation Award
2025 Baltimore Heritage Award

Hollins Market, Baltimore’s oldest continuously operating public market, is a cornerstone of the Hollins Market/Union Square neighborhoods. After decades of disinvestment, Twopoint Studio led the interior renovation, reimagining the market as a vibrant, accessible, and community-centered public asset.

The original 19th-century timber-framed shed and two-story ‘Head House’ occupy a unique block surrounded by dense rowhouses. The original shed roof, later enclosed, required preservation of the structural frame and concrete slabs, maintaining character while addressing accessibility and modern amenity needs.

Twopoint Studio’s design emphasizes the market’s utilitarian roots while improving flow, visibility, and functionality. Vendor stalls were upgraded with energy-efficient lighting, ventilation, plumbing, and accessible entries, supporting existing merchants and attracting new ones. Fresh produce, meats, bakery items, packaged goods, and frozen foods now coexist with a café, public seating, exterior improvements, and upgraded restrooms, ensuring the Market serves both daily shoppers and special events.

Community input shaped the renovation, guiding material selection, finishes, and the creation of a unifying canopy above vendor stalls. The design balances authenticity with modern improvements, fostering social, cultural, and economic sustainability. The completed Hollins Market restores its role as a civic anchor—a shared space for gathering, entrepreneurship, and celebration—reaffirming its resilience and ongoing importance to Southwest Baltimore.

1830 The neighborhood’s story begins with the construction of Mt Clare Station, the first passenger rail station built by the B&O. Shortly, workers from all over Baltimore came to this area looking for work. (B&O Railroad Museum)

1830
The neighborhood’s story begins with the construction of Mt Clare Station, the first passenger rail station built by the B&O. Shortly, workers from all over Baltimore came to this area looking for work. (B&O Railroad Museum)

1836 In less than a decade, the B&O employed 1,000 workers. This growing community needed a market hall, and the Newman brothers opened the first Hollins Market building. (Irish Railroad Workers Museum)

1836
In less than a decade, the B&O employed 1,000 workers. This growing community needed a market hall, and the Newman brothers opened the first Hollins Market building. (Irish Railroad Workers Museum)

1860s Hollins Market grew as a diverse community, and Black Americans began moving to the area. The iconic Head House opened in 1864. (Baltimore Heritage)

1860s
Hollins Market grew as a diverse community, and Black Americans began moving to the area. The iconic Head House opened in 1864. (Baltimore Heritage)

20th Century Close to 400 indoor and outdoor stalls sold their wares. These included meats, produce, seafood, baked goods, housewares and prepared foods. (Baltimore Heritage)

20th Century
Close to 400 indoor and outdoor stalls sold their wares. These included meats, produce, seafood, baked goods, housewares and prepared foods. (Baltimore Heritage)

Market stalls were sold to the public, and these stalls continued outdoors, heading eastward, where stall numbers were carved into the granite curbs.

Market stalls were sold to the public, and these stalls continued outdoors, heading eastward, where stall numbers were carved into the granite curbs.

1970s Despite its historic value, the market fell into decline amid decades of disinvestment and the damaging impact of the nearby “Highway to Nowhere,” which divided communities and weakened the local economy. (A. Aubrey Bodine Archive)

1970s
Despite its historic value, the market fell into decline amid decades of disinvestment and the damaging impact of the nearby “Highway to Nowhere,” which divided communities and weakened the local economy. (A. Aubrey Bodine Archive)

1 / EXISTING CONDITIONS This existing layout utilized narrow paths and short merchant stalls, limiting the type of vendor that could function effectively in the space.

1 / EXISTING CONDITIONS
This existing layout utilized narrow paths and short merchant stalls, limiting the type of vendor that could function effectively in the space.

2 / EXISTING PATHWAYS The existing layout had two meandering and convoluted, paths: one for customers, another for merchants.

2 / EXISTING PATHWAYS
The existing layout had two meandering and convoluted, paths: one for customers, another for merchants.

3/ EXISTING STALL FUNCTION The internal service path cleaved the merchants’ working space in two and created unusable space between the front and back of the stalls.

3/ EXISTING STALL FUNCTION
The internal service path cleaved the merchants’ working space in two and created unusable space between the front and back of the stalls.

4 / NEW STALL FUNCTION Rearranging the stalls to occupy the full depth of the merchant space created more functional space; a true “back of house” and “front of house”.

4 / NEW STALL FUNCTION
Rearranging the stalls to occupy the full depth of the merchant space created more functional space; a true “back of house” and “front of house”.

5 / SIMPLIFY THE PATHWAYS The service path was removed to enhance the main, customer-focused path. All merchant stalls face the main interior pathway.

5 / SIMPLIFY THE PATHWAYS
The service path was removed to enhance the main, customer-focused path. All merchant stalls face the main interior pathway.

6 / NEW PROGRAM New retail and seating areas bookend the market and entice customers outside the market to come into the space.

6 / NEW PROGRAM
New retail and seating areas bookend the market and entice customers outside the market to come into the space.

7 / ARTICULATING THE DESIGN The design proposed a combination of bright and warm materials with suspended stall elements to help the market read as “open air”.

7 / ARTICULATING THE DESIGN
The design proposed a combination of bright and warm materials with suspended stall elements to help the market read as “open air”.

8 / FINAL ARTICULATION The final design created a very open, breathable market despite the existing narrow building.

8 / FINAL ARTICULATION
The final design created a very open, breathable market despite the existing narrow building.

“Hollins Market is located in a food access priority area – a USDA-designated food desert. We are very excited and proud that five of our stalls will offer fresh food from SNAP eligible merchants. Hollins Market will be a one-stop shop for your grocery needs.”

— Paul Ruppert, former President & CEO of Baltimore Public Markets Corporation