Darius Hopkins: Designing a future built from his roots

By Becca Oken-Tatum

Darius Hopkins was raised in what he described as a low-income community in York. When he was thinking about his career goals, he considered the best ways he could give back to where he grew up.

“I came to the conclusion that the issues that plague low-income communities are the way they live, and I thought to myself that I could fix the way people live to make it a better place,” he said.

So Hopkins decided he would pursue architecture.

In May, fresh out of Penn State’s architectural school with a bachelor’s degree, Hopkins, 23, accepted a job with Harrisburg firm Chris Dawson Architect.

As a graduate architect working at a firm, Hopkins will gain the necessary hours required for anyone pursuing an architectural license, which he hopes to obtain. He also plans to go back to school in the next few years for a master’s degree.

Ultimately, Hopkins hopes to open his own firm to focus on building affordable housing that supports and uplifts underprivileged communities, a demographic that is not readily prioritized in private development and architectural plans.

Read more here on Central Penn Business Journal

Architect designs the heart of Lancaster city’s Penn Square

By Gregory J. Scott, FAIA | LNP Correspondent

As the 19th century was waning, C. Emlen Urban’s architectural career was waxing.

In 1898, at the age of 35, Urban was commissioned to design what many of his admirers consider to be his high-water mark — the Watt & Shand building. If not his crowning achievement, it is certainly the most recognizable and prestigious public building in downtown Lancaster.

After Urban successfully completed the personal residence for mercantilist Peter T. Watt in 1896, Watt and his business partner, James Shand, challenged the young Urban to further elevate their position in the retail community and bring the department store into the 20th century.

Read more here on Lancaster Online