Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects

11/02/2026

You may have heard that Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects' Horn Farm Center project won the 2026 "Preservation Recovery Award" from Preservation Pennsylvania...but here's a treat. 🍬

Preservation Pennsylvania wrote about the project: "A lightning strike [destroyed] the roof, most of the second floor, and nearly all historic interior finishes. Rather than demolish the damaged structure, the Horn Farm Center immediately stabilized it and undertook a careful restoration and reconstruction. Surviving brick walls were repaired and repointed with compatible lime mortar, collapsed sections and chimneys were rebuilt with salvaged brick, and historically informed windows, doors, porches, trim, and a standing-seam metal roof restored the farmhouse’s agrarian character.

Inside, an open classroom, teaching kitchen, accessible restroom, and collaborative offices support expanded public programming. High-performance insulation, triple-glazed windows, solar panels, concealed building systems, and lightning protection improve efficiency and resilience while respecting the historic building."
..

With these kind words, Preservation Pennsylvania recognized the project as one that demonstrates an exceptional commitment to recovering and preserving historic places following significant loss or damage.

M&D is proud to have been a part of this journey.

📸 Photo credit for the updated building shots goes to Mike Mihalo Photography.

10/29/2026

What does award-winning architecture look like? 🤔

Sometimes it's a cultural destination like the Crispus Attucks York History & Culture Center. Sometimes it's a visionary community concept like Ballpark Commons or a carefully considered residential design for a dramatic hilltop setting.

Together, these projects earned Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects four AIA Central PA Design Awards in 2026, including an Honor Award, the highest level of recognition within the program. 🏆

We're grateful to our clients, partners and communities for the opportunity to create meaningful places and to the AIA Queens New York jury for recognizing the work.

Read the full story:

09/23/2026

When vision meets urgency, incredible things happen. In just eight weeks, Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects helped Frederick Community College in Frederick, Maryland design the new Miller Center, a cutting-edge healthcare training facility that's preparing the next generation of medical professionals.

Explore how strategic design powered this rapid transformation:

09/15/2026

🧩 Architectural design can feel like a puzzle, but it’s one we’re proud to piece together.

Veterans Memorial Park in York is getting a thoughtful refresh with relocated and reinvented memorials, a strategic new layout, and a design that honors the stories of service woven throughout the park.

Read more about the project and see the design concept here:

Veteran’s Memorial Park is getting a refresh with relocated and reinvented memorials as well as a strategic new layout.

09/09/2026

Another successful M&D Day in the books! 🏅

The entire Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects team spent this year's annual event in College Park, Maryland at the University of Maryland's Cole Head House, a recently renovated three-story structure that's connected to the university's Jones-Hill House sports complex. Originally built in the 1950s, the Cole Head House will now serve as a student activities center, cultural center, and innovation & entrepreneurship center. It was inspiring to revisit a project that reflects our commitment to inclusive, student‑centered design.

We continued the day with behind‑the‑scenes tours of the Xfinity Center Athletic & Recreational Facility and the Barry P. Gossett Basketball Performance Center, as well as lunch at the Maryland Club overlooking the Terp's basketball arena—a perfect mix of learning, inspiration, connection, and celebration.

Here’s to another year of great teamwork, meaningful projects, and shared experiences!

09/08/2026

Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects recently wrapped up another inspiring summer with the Crispus Attucks York Career Focus Institute by hosting our Architecture, Planning & Design Program for local students from York City schools—and they blew us away. 🍃

For six weeks, a small but mighty group of middle and high schoolers met with us twice a week at the Crispus Attucks History & Culture Center. Being in that brand-new space energized them, and it showed in their work. Their project this year: Dream up a "student hub" on South George Street for the York community. A place to hang out, learn, play, and grow. 🌱

They sketched floor plans, created drawings, and even built digital models. Their ideas ranged from sports courts and outdoor hangout spots to cafe‑library spaces and a rooftop greenhouse. One student already knew the basics of modeling, proving this generation is ready to dive into design technology.

Investing in young minds means investing in the future of our communities, and we’re honored to be part of that journey. Thanks to Harper Kvasnovsky, Senior Associate at M&D, and Steven Guerrisi, Architectural Designer at M&D, for their help in facilitating this year's program. And, as always, thanks to Barry Freeland, Director of Crispus Attucks Center for Employment and Training, and the rest of the team for making this happen.

08/14/2026

The recently restored and reopened farmhouse at the Horn Farm Center has been honored with a 2026 Preservation Recovery Award from Preservation Pennsylvania, the state's only nonprofit dedicated to historic preservation.

After a devastating lightning strike and fire, the Horn Farm Center chose the harder path: Preserving and rebuilding its 1830s farmhouse rather than starting new. Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects is grateful to have played a part in bringing that vision to life by designing a restored historic exterior and accessible, energy‑efficient home for agricultural education and community programs.

Congratulations to the Horn Farm Center team on this well‑deserved recognition. 👏

08/13/2026

Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects is proud to share this behind‑the‑scenes look from Mid-Atlantic Timberframes highlighting the mass timber work at the Crispus Attucks York History & Culture Center.

From the earliest internal M&D design conversations, our team envisioned a structural approach that would deliver openness, flexibility, and a sense of warmth for the Center’s exhibit spaces. Exposed Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) became the key that allowed the building construction to break from the traditional dark, artificially lit museum/gallery environment and instead embrace a natural, inviting backdrop for storytelling.

Mid‑Atlantic Timberframes was instrumental in bringing our design vision to life. Their team collaborated with M&D and our engineering partners at every stage: concept development, construction detailing documentation, and onsite final coordination with Stewart & Tate Construction. Together, we worked through the challenges of what became the first multi-story mass timber building in Central PA.

We’re grateful for the craftsmanship, problem‑solving, and partnership that made this project possible.

📹 Check out Mid‑Atlantic Timberframes’ video to see the process in action:

Behind the Frame, a video series created by Mid-Atlantic Timberfram...

07/06/2026

Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects is celebrating a season of new beginnings with a series of ribbon cuttings across Pennsylvania and Maryland that highlight the power of design to connect, educate, and inspire. 🌟

From the Crispus Attucks York History & Culture Center to the Seed to Harvest Building at Rose Hill, each project reflects our ongoing commitment to creating spaces that honor history and strengthen community.

Read more about these milestones and the stories behind them in our latest blog 👇

Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects is celebrating a season of new beginnings with ribbon cuttings for community-based projects across Pennsylvania and Maryland, and it’s not over yet. 

07/02/2026

As we near Independence Day on the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the team at Murphy & Dittenhafer continues to remember those we've lost. 💌

On this year's Memorial Day weekend, the Four Chaplains Memorial was dedicated at York's Veterans Memorial Park. Despite alternating sun and rain, hundreds gathered for a moving ceremony that honored sacrifice and compassion.

Designed by M&D, the memorial features five pre-weathered Corten steel pylons, etched and engraved to tell the story: Army chaplains Alexander D. Goode, George L. Fox, Clark V. Poling, and John P. Washington, as well as African American Steward’s Mate Charles Walter David, Jr., who gave up their own life vests, helped survivors into lifeboats, and sang comforting hymns after a German submarine torpedoed the U.S.A.T. Dorchester during World War II.

This is the first memorial to recognize David alongside the Four Chaplains, ensuring their intertwined stories continue to be remembered. 💭

You can visit and engage with the memorial any time. And stay tuned for future improvements that are coming to the park's other memorials, including the Purple Heart Memorial, Korean War Memorial, and All Wars Memorial.