The annual event shows the M&D team the true impact of their work in the real world.
M&D visits Red House Run Elementary School
Every year, Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects set off on M&D Day, an event dedicated to getting everyone together on live sites they designed to discuss architecture, learn from each other’s projects, and hear about the impact of their work from clients’ perspectives.
This year was special. From destinations like the Beth Tfiloh Congregation Sanctuary in Baltimore to the Harriet Tubman Cultural Center in Columbia, the architects had the opportunity to gain insight from others on the M&D team as well as the users enjoying the space in the moment.
Severn Intergenerational Center, Beth Tfiloh Congregation Sanctuary, and more
M&D visits Red House Run Elementary School
The first—and largest—site that M&D visited was Red House Run Elementary School. About 75 percent through the construction process, the project will showcase M&D’s work in the Baltimore County public school system.
Rebecca McCormick, Architect at M&D, says her favorite destination on M&D Day 2023 was the Severn Intergenerational Center. McCormick explains, "When we toured it, the building was bustling with users who clearly loved the spaces M&D helped create.”
The collaboration that took place during design between M&D and the community is evident throughout the project, from the beautiful handprint sculptural canopy to the mural on the exterior wall. The interior spaces, though simple boxes, are dynamic and light-filled.
M&D visits Severn Intergenerational Center
Reece Gonsar, Project Architect at M&D, enjoyed the Beth Tfiloh Congregation Sanctuary for the design challenges it overcame. “M&D won a design competition to reimagine the historic sanctuary to better fit the needs of the present day,” Gonsar explains. “This project speaks to me because the right balance needs to be struck where there is enough change to make an impact but not too much change where it takes away from the existing space.”
A way for architects to learn from one another
M&D visits Beth Tfiloh Congregation Sanctuary
Harper Brockway, Architectural Designer at M&D, says M&D Day is beneficial in myriad ways, not the least of which is getting to learn about projects one may not have been involved in. “We get to appreciate our coworkers' hard work and have lessons learned conversations, so that future projects can only improve,” Brockway says.
Brockway adds, “It gets me excited to keep developing current projects, so one day I can also see them in the wild.”
‘A great piece of architecture is defined by its users just as much as, if not more than, the design itself’
M&D visits Harriet Tubman Cultural Center
Patrick Ness, Architectural Designer at M&D talked about how meaningful it was to see the Harriet Tubman Cultural Center during M&D Day 2023.
Ness says, “On the day of the visit, the center was hosting a Lego build and a chess workshop for kids. We could hear them collaborating, laughing, and having fun while also learning from the teachers in the classrooms.”
Ness notes that the children weren’t the only ones learning. With displays of historical significance about Harriett Tubman and the Underground Railroad, Ness says, “It’s clear that the design was meant to interweave these historical galleries and modern learning spaces to provide an impactful experience for both children and adult visitors.”
“At each stop, either our client, the contractor, or a building user spoke to us about what the new building means to them and how it has improved their everyday life,” Ness says. “It served as a reminder for our entire office that a great piece of architecture is defined by its users just as much, if not more, than the design itself.”
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Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects took on the Architecture, Interior Design, & Overall Project Management for the new Bedford Elementary School, and the outcome is impactful.