The Avenue at White Marsh is a 35-acre shopping, dining, and entertainment site that opened in 1998; by the 2010s, it was in need of a lift. Over a three-year period, in collaboration with architects, landscape artists, designers, and client teams, Ashton reinvigorated The Avenue with an environmental refresh of wall murals, directional signage, and custom tenant support. The result was a significant increase in foot traffic and attraction of new, high-profile tenants, while current tenants remained open for business.
A 50-foot pylon sign on Interstate 95 first greets visitors to The Avenue. Featuring the vibrant colors and geometric forms of The Avenue logo, it is a memorable introduction to the area.
All murals and signage were inspired by elements of Maryland’s natural landscape and executed with a modern sensibility.
For the entrance, Ashton created three 15-foot metal mesh letters of the logo that double as a natural growth wall for vines.
Bold directional signs add pops of brand colors. They are color-coded to serve as a cohesive visual system: turquoise for project amenities, yellow for tenants, white for regional destinations, and blue for street names.
Including the average number of steps to each destination on the signs encourages visitors to explore.
They created an abstract interpretation of the famous Wye Oak tree, the largest white oak in the U.S. and Maryland’s state tree from 1941 until its demise in 2002. Real mason jars and LED bulbs serve as a homage to catching fireflies.
Perched on the branches are two stylized birds, an oriole and a raven, representing the area’s beloved national sports teams.
A system of 36 custom tenant blade signs was created with varying configurable components. Tenants could choose from four-panel shapes and four armature types.
Each tenant could color their panel based on their brand color, while restaurants also had the choice of a cedar wood panel.
Additional wall murals include an “oar wall,” featuring actual oars with the names of Chesapeake Bay tributaries on the handles, as well as a large outline of the Maryland map, with a red trace-LED “neon” heart marking the location of White Marsh.
The stylized Baltimore raven and oriole feature again on a decorative shipping container located in the parking lot’s far corner.
Photography & Copyright by Ashton