Princeton firm completes playhouse

PRINCETON — Hillier Architecture has completed construction of the Playroom at the Ronald McDonald House of New Brunswick, one of almost 240 such houses around the world. Hillier participated in eight community services projects in 2004, many of which aided children in the tri-state area.

   "Participating in community service projects that use our design strengths are important to the firm’s philosophy and spirit and have been since we were founded in 1966," said J. Robert Hillier, founder and chairman of Hillier Architecture.
   Organized by the Interior Architecture Studio of Hillier Architecture and sponsored by the International Interior Design Association, the Playroom is a welcome retreat for children admitted to nearby Robert Wood Johnson Hospital.
   The room features a rainforest mural, video center and crafts table for the children’s entertainment during their stay.
   "The theme of the room, ‘Tree of Life,’ was designed to illustrate a hope for the future," said Andra Schwenk, a spokeswoman for Hillier Architecture.
   The following projects also were completed in 2004:
   • Hillier employees crafted and modeled ensembles for last spring’s "Finish Meets Fashion," which benefited the Children’s Cancer Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
   • Since 1998, Philadelphia staff has participated in "Architecture in Education," an AIA Philadelphia initiative that brings architects into the classroom to teach students the essentials of designing a building.
   • Members of the Healthcare, K-12 and Corporate Studios spoke to students during Lawrence High School’s annual Career Day.
   • Hillier Architecture was a charter sponsor of, and continues to support, the Charter High School for Architecture + Design in Philadelphia. In 2004, staff volunteered for the breakfast gala committee and designed the invitations.
   • The Red Cross blood drive saw the participation of 16 Hillier employees.
   • The Princeton office created a 6-foot-tall tree of canned goods for a food drive to benefit HomeFront, a Mercer County charity.
   • Christmas stockings were decorated and contributed to a pediatric AIDS foundation in a program sponsored by Knoll, a workplace furniture manufacturer.
   Hillier Architecture provides architecture, interior design, historic preservation, graphic design and urban planning and design services through its network of offices in Princeton, Philadelphia, New York and Washington, D.C.