Clients “bring the knowledge and understanding of their community, and we bring the knowledge of design married with purpose and inspiration,” says Architect Jonathan Taube.
Frank Dittenhafer trekked across the Penn State York campus. He didn’t know what he was looking for, but he kept asking himself, “What else and what if…?”
This process – the search for more – is just part of design, says Dittenhafer, FAIA, LEED AP, President at Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects.
He considers a design, then flips things around to “the opposite.” It’s often in those moments when he steps back that the pieces fall together.
That’s what happened that day on the Penn State York campus.
When Penn State officials called on Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects to design The Graham Center for Innovation and Collaboration, there was already a previously considered site location in mind. But it took Dittenhafer asking the “why here?” question to open the possibilities for something better.
Walking the campus, Dittenhafer, and M&D Architect Todd Grove along with Penn State University representatives honed in on what Dittenhafer calls a “premier site” – the hilltop between the Pullo Performing Arts Center/Glatfelter Library and the Romano Main Classroom building – with a panoramic view of York.
“It was never part of the original plan for the building to end up there, and we had to significantly reconfigure the program of spaces because of the slopping hill,” he says. “In the end, it was the better choice – the right choice – and it took us exploring our options to find it.”
Dream big, then dream bigger
The process of design at Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects goes beyond just listening. Any technician can listen to a client’s problems related to their space and offer a solution that checks off the necessary boxes for codes, building issues, and sticking to a budget, says Dittenhafer.
“If you’ve communicated and worked creatively with your client to design an inspirational place that enriches the experience – a place where people would like to spend time – that’s Architecture,” he says.
One of Dittenhafer’s favorite things to hear is a client say, “We don’t know what to do. That’s why we hired you.”
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That trust in M&D’s work opens the door for the creative process to unfold. While the goal for some firms may be to get to the finish line as quickly as possible, Dittenhafer says, the philosophy he instills is one that considers numerous scenarios.
“The nature of our design process is to be very comprehensive and explore all the possibilities to ensure we have the most inspired, most exciting approach that meets all the givens, as well,” Dittenhafer says.
Uncovering inspiration
The mission to dream big can be felt throughout Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects.
Architect Jonathan Taube took that to heart when he logged into a Zoom meeting with more than 30 community members voicing their ideas on what should be done to leave an impression at the Severn Intergenerational Center in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
This meeting was an important one. It was the first time members of the community were seeing overall plans for the new 27,000-square-foot facility that will be home to a Boys and Girls Club, as well as a senior center with a regulation size gymnasium, food pantry, and classrooms.
It was also an opportunity for those community members to weigh in on an important goal for the center: how it could play a role in the overall community experience.
Bringing it all together
It’s the image of outstretched hands reaching for one another that inspired the plaza design for the Severn Intergenerational Center. The white canopy outside the main entrance is not just a welcoming image for those arriving to use the facility; it’s a place that invites the community to come together and to enjoy the outdoor space.
“We have a place here that is welcoming to people of all ages, from all backgrounds, working together to make their community a better place,” Taube says. “We found we could represent that ideal in the canopy design – in giving the community this common space in the plaza.”
There’s also the possibility of mosaic designs and community art, and while they may not fit the original budget and scope for the building project, Taube says, they’re exploring grant opportunities focused on enriching art experiences in Maryland.
“If people don’t appreciate or love their buildings, if they don’t see themselves in it, it becomes a building without meaning,” Taube says. “They bring the knowledge and understanding of their community, and we bring the knowledge of design married with purpose and inspiration. You need those things working together to create beautiful architecture.”
The memorial’s groundbreaking took place in June, and the dedication is set to take place on November 11, 2024, or Veterans Day.
President of Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects, Frank Dittenhafer II, spoke about the company’s contribution to York-area revitalization at the Pennsylvania Downtown Center’s Premier Revitalization Conference in June 2024. Here are the highlights.
The Pullo Center welcomed a range of student musicians in its 1,016-seat theater with full production capabilities.
“Interior designs being integral from the beginning of a project capitalize on things that make it special in the long run.”
Digital animations help Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects and clients see designs in a new light.
Frank Dittenhafer and his firm work alongside the nonprofit to fulfill the local landscape from various perspectives.
From Farquhar Park to south of the Codorus Creek, Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects help revamp York’s Penn Street.
Designs for LaVale Library, Intergenerational Center, and Beth Tfiloh Sanctuary show the value of third places.
The Annapolis Department of Legislative Services Building is under construction, reflecting the state capital’s Georgian aesthetic with modern amenities.
For the past two years, the co-founder and president of Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects has led the university’s College of Arts and Architecture Alumni Society.
The firm recently worked with St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore to renovate an old elementary school for a Head Start pre-k program.
The market house, an 1888 Romanesque Revival brick structure designed by local Architect John A. Dempwolf, long has stood out as one of York’s premier examples of Architecture. Architect Frank Dittenhafer is passing the legacy of serving on its board to Architectural Designer Harper Brockway.
At Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects, there is a deep-rooted belief in the power of combining history and adaptive reuse with creativity.
University of Maryland Global Campus explores modernizing its administration building, which serves staffers and students enrolled in virtual classes.
The Wilkens and Essex precincts of Baltimore County are receiving solutions-based ideas for renovating or reconstructing their police stations.
The firm has earned the designation annually since 2016 in recognition of its commitment to supporting newer professionals in the field.
Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects recently completed the Design Development phase for a 20,000-square-foot building for Crispus Attucks York. Construction should begin in August.
The facility in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, is re-envisioning its focus with the help of Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects.
Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects received numerous awards from AIA Pennsylvania, AIA Central Pennsylvania, AIA Baltimore, and ABC Keystone.
Since 2019, the firm has designed a number of protected entryways for Anne Arundel County Public Schools.
A business lunch at an iconic building sparked an awakening whose effects continue to ripple down the city thoroughfare.
Since its founding in 1985, Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects often has sought out community-oriented projects that have a lasting impact.
The university’s Arts and Architecture Alumni Society Board President — and a past award recipient himself — handed out this year’s awards to seven recipients.
After an extensive evaluation of a Maryland state building in Annapolis, the architectural firm recommended demolishing it and erecting a new structure.
Six members of M&D’s team of creative professionals are advancing their careers within the firm.
Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects took on the Architecture, Interior Design, & Overall Project Management for the new Bedford Elementary School, and the outcome is impactful.