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6 | M A R C H 2 0 2 1 HDR Architecture Associates Inc. HDR Architecture Associates Inc. continues to push boundaries and uncover new possibilities by NATALIE BRUCKNER | photography + renderings courtesy HDR ARCHITECTURE ASSOCIATES INC. HEART & SOUL I nspiration comes in all forms. For civil engineer H.H. Henningson, it came during his visits to small rural communities that lacked clean water and electric power. The young engineer had a vision: to move these com- munities forward by lighting up their streets and helping them recover from drought…and so, in 1917 he founded the Henningson Engineering Company in Omaha, Nebraska. In the subsequent decades, the company continued to evolve, meeting new demands, and in the 1950s architectural services was added to the com- pany's growing roster. Some of the firm's early architecture projects included numerous hospitals, which was a prelude to the firm's subsequent growth into becoming one of the world's leading healthcare designers. Engineering services also grew during that time to include resource management, community plan- ning, transportation, and much more. An entrepreneurial spirit continued into the 1990s, when the company moved to an employee-ownership model that energized employees and led the firm into the 21st century. Through both organic and strategic acquisitions, along with a focus on global expansion, the firm today stands as the sixth largest Architecture, Engineering & Construction (AEC) firm based in the U.S., with the world's third largest architecture practice. It's an impressive history and resume, but what lies at the heart and soul of the company acts as the true inspiration: an ability to collaborate with each other and with clients to push boundaries and uncover new possibilities. Take the company's involvement in advancing mass timber construction. Since 2003, HDR has successfully adopted the use of mass timber in many building typologies including office buildings, educational and research facili- ties, wineries, and hotels. Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Chalk River, ON.