giving back
As architects, we focus on designing and building strong communities. We have a great opportunity to showcase our profession and skills through helping to keep important local landmarks and architectural icons maintained. All across our region, there are examples of historic landmarks that are in critical need of volunteers to help with their upkeep and promotion. With that thought in mind, in 2016, we created a volunteer initiative that would become an annual tradition for our firm, Adopt-A-Landmark!
Our Adopt-A-Landmark journey started in 2016 at one of the most recognized architectural landmarks in the world, Fallingwater in Mill Run, PA. In the following years, we would go on to give a day of service to Woodville Plantation in Bridgeville, PA (2017), Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall in Carnegie, PA (2018), Emmanuel Episcopal Church on Pittsburgh’s North Side (2019), Allegheny Land Trust’s Historic Walker-Ewing Log House in Oakdale, PA (2021), and most recently, The Oliver Miller Homestead in South Park, PA (2023). For each of these projects, our staff focused on a variety of tasks, such as cleaning, landscaping, gardening, and general maintenance.
Another tradition for our staff includes an annual holiday toy drive. Since 2015, the firm has donated clothes, books, and toys to several charity organizations. For our 2023 toy drive, we partnered with East End Cooperative Mission (EECM), in which we were provided a Christmas with list for 16 children. From that list, volunteers from our staff purchased all of the gifts to fulfill those lists. Next, our entire firm worked together to wrap the presents while enjoying a holiday film. In addition to EECM, prior recipients of this drive included St. Paul of the Cross Monastery (Pittsburgh) and the Appalachian Christmas Gift Drive.
HDG Architects is heavily involved in supporting community groups from across the Pittsburgh region. By combining HDG sponsorships and individual leadership contributions throughout the year, we believe that the foundation of a strong community not only starts with its people, but also the design and creation of wonderful places. We look forward to many more years of service in the future and encourage everyone to join us to ‘Adopt-a-Landmark’ to help highlight our profession’s great work!
Community Affiliations
