HOK is a global design, architecture, engineering and planning firm with 24 offices. The firm focuses on the design of buildings and spaces that inspire people and communities across healthcare, aviation, higher education, workplace, science and technology, sports and recreation, and other markets.
Through the HOK IMPACT program and the tireless dedication of their staff, HOK strives to use design to make a difference in Philadelphia. One of HOK’s core values always has been that they care about the people and places their work touches. HOK IMPACT serves as a lens for addressing the social, environmental and economic impact of this work. In addition to supporting the Community Design Collaborative, HOK staff are actively engaged in community organizations across the city, support numerous local charitable events throughout the year, and provide mentorship and learning opportunities to local students though multiple university programs as well as the annual HOK Futures Student Design Challenge.
HOK’s relationship with the Community Design Collaborative started in 2015 when the firm opened the Philadelphia studio. Lorraine Fisher, director of interiors for HOK’s Philadelphia office, describes the studio as “a great collection of folks who are self-starters. Since opening, our staff have taken it upon themselves to get meaningfully involved in community organizations dedicated to improving the city.”
HOK’s volunteer experience with the Collaborative began with the Infill Philadelphia: Play Space Design Competition and has since included supporting numerous design grants, including a grant to help the Please Touch Museum in expanding their Please Touch Garden. Most recently, HOK collaborated with The Philadelphia Masjid as a part of the Philadelphia Infill: Sacred Places/Civic Spaces initiative.
John MacCallum, senior project designer at HOK, described the experience working with The Philadelphia Masjid: “It started with the building and grew to thinking about how the project could impact the whole neighborhood.” Caitlin Youngster, architect at HOK, added that “it was so inspiring to help them shape and share their vision for their neighborhood and for the future of Philadelphia.”
Why become a Community Design Collaborative Corporate Champion?
When reflecting on why HOK became a corporate champion, Katherine Antarikso, project architect at HOK, explained that “everyone deserves good design. There is a lot of inequality in our city and the Collaborative offers an opportunity to make good design accessible to everyone. When we think about why we became architects, it was because we wanted to make a difference and solve problems through design. The Community Design Collaborative provides an opportunity to do that.”
About HOK
With offices around the globe, HOK designs buildings and spaces that respond to the needs of people and the environment. HOK designers are rooted in technical excellence, driven by imagination and focused on a solitary goal: to deliver solutions that inspire clients and communities.
