HDG is Presented with the Autism Connection of Pennsylvania’s 2019 Community Partner Award
November 22, 2019
Both HDG and the Allegheny County Airport Authority were recognized by the Autism Connection of Pennsylvania during their annual event held on November 16h, An Awesome Night for Autism Connection of PA. The event is a special evening that is held each year to honor those who work to be a resource for the growing autism community.
HDG Project Architect, Jennifer Beck, AIA, was honored to accept the “2019 Community Partner Award” for excellence in collaboration with the autism community on behalf of HDG. Jennifer spoke briefly about what went into making Presley’s Place at Pittsburgh International Airport and the need for all design professionals to do more to create buildings and spaces that can serve everyone, including both children and adults on the autism spectrum, and those with other neurological disorders.
“Not having a personal connection to autism myself, it was a great eye opener as a design professional of the ways that the physical environment can positively or negatively affect those on the autism spectrum. Thank you for educating me, and educating us about how design matters in all spaces,” said Jennifer Beck. To learn more about the project, you can watch Jennifer’s speech here: https://youtu.be/MM0YQGD4xho.
Many thanks to the countless organizations who helped support this event, all of the inspiring awardees who were honored for their efforts, Lu Randall for all of the input she and the Autism Connection of Pennsylvania had in the focus groups for the project and for thinking of us for this award, and also to the Allegheny County Airport Authority for partnering with us to help them make Jason Rudge’s initial vision into a reality!
