Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park: A Landscape of Healing and Renewal

Award of Excellence

Analysis and Planning

Crownsville, Maryland, United States
Design Collective, Inc.
with Carmichael Associates
Client: Anne Arundel County, Maryland

SHADOWS OF A FORGOTTEN PAST

Crownsville Hospital, the Maryland Hospital for the Negro Insane, was a segregated facility where horrific acts were committed against Black people.

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RECONCILING A DIFFICULT PAST

Abandoned today, Crownsville Hospital seeks a new beginning—one that acknowledges past atrocities.

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TELLING THE PAST, THE PRESENT AND THE TRUTH

Research deepened the understanding of the site’s history, connecting it to the National Civil Rights Movement and National Mental Health timeline.

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STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT: FROM STORIES LOST TO STORIES TOLD

For many, this process was their first opportunity to speak openly about their experiences, breaking the silence surrounding a history of injustice.

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STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT: A VISION BUILT BY THE COMMUNITY

Honest conversations laid the groundwork for planning and design, guiding the vision toward a future of healing, inclusion, and community connection.

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INTEGRATING HISTORY, NATURE, AND FUTURE RESILIENCE

Thorough analysis examines natural and built systems aiming to preserve natural and historic resources and reconciling past infrastructure decisions.

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FOLLOWING CLUES FROM THE PAST

The analysis of historic and natural assets defined a clear framework, guiding the proposed design into a simple parti that celebrates resources.

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VISION PLAN: FROM SHARED VISION TO CRAFTED PLAN

A deep understanding of community needs and concerns, laid the foundation for a Master Plan designed to heal, repair, and foster inclusivity.

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A NEW BEGINNING: FROM FORBIDDEN PLACE TO THE PEOPLE’S PARK

Once a place many passed by without notice, the new entrance reimagines access, offering a welcoming and safe gateway into the park.

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CAMPUS CORE: FROM INSTITUTIONALIZATION TO EDUCATION AND SERVICE

This transformation celebrates community and invites the public to engage with a space once defined by separation, now reimagined for connection.

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HISTORIC FARMSTEAD: FROM EXPLOITATION TO COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT

The farmstead is envisioned as a vibrant community center and education hub that promotes agricultural, educational, and therapeutic opportunities.

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ACTIVE RECREATION: CONTINUING OPPORTUNITIES FOR WELLNESS & THE ARTS

Recreation and the arts were vital mental health practices for patients during the site’s operation. Today, these historical uses are reimagined.

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PATH OF REVERENCE: A JOURNEY OF REMEMBRANCE, HEALING & EDUCATION

The Path of Reverence unveils the site’s history, highlights mindfulness, environmental stewardship, and shares powerful stories of the past.

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PATH OF REVERENCE: AN IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE

Flanked by wastewater ponds and spray fields, Farm Road is reimagined as a dignified accessible route to the cemetery offering a space for reflection.

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TRAIL NETWORK: FROM RESTRICTED ACCESS TO COMMUNITY CONNECTIVITY

Over 500 acres of previously inaccessible land will be opened to the community, featuring a trail system focused on mental health and mindfulness.

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500 ACRES: FROM FORGOTTEN LANDS TO NATURE SANCTUARY

The restored Meadow, Farm, and North and South Forests provide visitors hundreds of acres to immerse themselves in nature, beauty, and tranquility.

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“

A national model for how we can redevelop sites with deep and difficult histories that is respectful of how to carry those histories into the future with great care and dignity across both landscape and building program.

”

- 2025 Awards Jury

Project Credits

Carmichael & Associates, Parks & Recreation Planner

RK&K, Civil, Transportation & Traffic, Environmental, Water, Sewer, Utilities Engineer

EHT Traceries, Historic Preservation

CostCon Construction Services, Cost Estimating

Project Statement

Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park is a transformative master plan that reimagines the former “Hospital for the Negro Insane of Maryland” into a powerful landscape of healing. Once a place of segregation and suffering, it now fosters mental wellness through remembrance, reflection, and community connection. By honoring those once forgotten and creating spaces for solace and renewal, the park confronts the past while shaping a more compassionate future. It stands as a testament to resilience—where isolation gives way to belonging, and suffering is met with hope—redefining how public spaces can promote mental health and inspire collective healing.

Project Narrative

Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park is a visionary master plan that transforms the former Hospital for the Negro Insane of Maryland into a landscape of healing, remembrance, and renewal. Once a site of segregation and suffering, it is now reimagined as a sanctuary for mental wellness, environmental restoration, and community connection—breaking the silence around its painful past. By honoring the site’s history, the plan makes mental health a primary design focus, creating a space for truth-telling and reflection. Through a thoughtful and inclusive approach, the park becomes a place of resilience, restoration, and healing for both future generations and those with ties to its past.

Quality of Analysis & Planning

The master plan is rooted in thorough research and community engagement, ensuring a thoughtful balance between remembrance and renewal. The design process incorporated input from historians, mental health professionals, and extensive community outreach to create a space that acknowledges past injustices while supporting emotional well-being. The Path of Reverence, a central feature of the design, links the historic hospital core to the Crownsville Hospital Patient Cemetery, where over 1,700 patients rest, identified only by numbers. This pathway offers space and time for reflection and remembrance, honoring those from the past while providing a dignified experience.

Context

Crownsville’s transformation bridges the past and present in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The project preserves and reimagines historic structures for community wellness, education, and racial healing. By integrating the site’s cultural legacy with new programming, Crownsville serves as a model for how landscapes can confront difficult histories and begin to rectify past injustices.

Environmental Sensitivity & Sustainability

Crownsville’s 500-acre site will be revitalized as an ecological and wellness-focused landscape. Sustainable strategies include reforestation, stream restoration, habitat restoration, reclaimed and restored meadows, and integrated stormwater management. These efforts will improve biodiversity, enhance watershed health, and promote long-term environmental resilience. A network of trails will guide visitors through restored landscapes, offering opportunities for mindfulness, movement, and a deeper connection to nature—key elements of mental wellness.

Likelihood of Successful Implementation

The vision for Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park is supported by strong backing from both government and the community. Partnerships with local government, local universities, and cultural organizations have already layed the groundwork for phased implementation. Initial state and federal investments have enabled critical building stabilization and infrastructure upgrades, while continued community support will ensure the project’s ongoing success.

Value to the Client, Public & Other Designers

For the client, the project represents a groundbreaking opportunity to transform a neglected institution into a model of healing-centered design. For the public, it provides a place for reflection, mental wellness, and cultural education. For designers, Crownsville sets a new precedent for how landscapes can acknowledge trauma while fostering resilience, equity, and renewal.

More than just a park, Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park is a testament to the power of design to heal—where past suffering informs a more compassionate, inclusive, and hopeful future.