Bruce Hurowitz has been a member of the MDP Team for over 34 years. His career path has evolved in step with the growth and success of the firm, from a valued team member to a respected leader. He is known for his passion and commitment to inspired senior living design. His industry advocacy and accomplishments have earned him recognition as an EFA Design Champion.
The Spark of Creativity
Since childhood, Bruce has been a keen observer and interested in how things are built. He played with Lego and erector sets and would read books about how things worked. With a product engineering mindset, he was intrigued by how things were assembled and packaged. When walking into buildings, Bruce was always looking up—noticing all of the details. In high school, he enjoyed drafting classes and exploring photography. He even had a dark room in his basement.
Educational Pursuits
While Bruce has always had a passion for design, he first pursued a business-focused career path. He received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Boston University and worked for a tech company for a few years. He then moved back to Philadelphia and joined the team of his father’s retail company where he managed store distributions and was responsible for new store layouts and design. This introduced him to the intricacies of retail renovations and reignited his passion for design.
Bruce returned to school to embrace a career in design. He received a Bachelor of Environmental Design from the Art Institute and a Master of Architecture from SFIA. He joined Merlino Design Partnership in 1988 and has played a key role in the firm’s continued success.
Evolving into a Leadership Role
During an early 1990s recession, Bruce had the opportunity to pursue employment elsewhere, but his commitment to design and the company, under the leadership of Sam Merlino, resulted in a partnership and a determination to succeed in the turbulent design business world. Bruce was instrumental in the growth and development of the firm from that point forward. This includes the transition from healthcare-focused work to a commitment to senior living design. When Sam retired years ago, Bruce was honored to continue the legacy and his leadership of the team. He rebranded the firm as MDP with a focus on Inspired Design.
“I am proud to work side by side with him in a leadership role—just as we did early on with side-by-side drafting desks,” says MDP Partner Kimberly Hyduke.
Bruce credits his business background for supporting his leadership role and MDP’s long-term relationships with clients. “As designers, we are stewards of our clients’ money,” says Bruce. “Clients appreciate our close attention to detail and management skills, which include our ability to deliver inspired design solutions within budget constraints.”
A Commitment to Inspired Senior Living Design
Bruce is passionate about providing a better life for seniors. “Each and every resident in one of our designed communities have a rich history, and I love to learn from them,” says Bruce. “I love to see them thrive and enjoy the later part of their lives in an environment that we designed.”
Over the years, he has been particularly focused on enhancing the dining experience at every level of care as well as promoting multiple dimensions of wellness. He formed a division of MDP (Renaissance Culinary Innovation) and partnered with other committed culinary professionals to create hospitality-inspired dining experiences. Before dining was a trending hot topic, Bruce was determined to redefine the dining experience.
From dining and wellness to every aspect of senior living environments, Bruce is driven to create spaces that encourage inspired living. MDP’s dining work has received industry recognition. Likewise, MDP’s work to elevate wellness options for seniors, from fitness centers to the rehab experience, has received industry accolades for being contemporary, hospitality-inspired environments that enhance resident life.
“Years ago, I witnessed Bruce digging in on changing the dining experience and looking to improve the wellness components of every project,” says Hyduke. “Through design he has been a champion of resident-centered care, creating spaces that support resident choice and encourage activity and engagement. He is committed to providing vibrant, contemporary, hospitality-inspired spaces that are beautiful and safe.”
Over his 34 years, there have been a lot of memorable projects for Bruce. One that stands out is a high-rise senior living community in Tokyo–Charming Square Shirograne. He learned a lot from this international project. Creating a design solution embraced by another culture and working with professionals with distinctly different perspectives was a rewarding process. He also enjoyed the challenge of working on a historic property with the Essex at Sussex project. The MDP Team converted this grand 1914 hotel into a unique senior living experience.
The firm is currently working on a number of exciting multifamily and senior living projects. Bruce is particularly excited about the Broadview at Purchase College project, anticipated to open in 2024. He feels honored that MDP was selected to be a part of this innovative team. The senior living community digs deep into the trend towards intergenerational living by integrating a senior living development within a college campus.
A Fun, Family Man
While Bruce is committed to his work (his computer is with him everywhere he goes) and his MDP Team, he is also a dedicated family man. He adores his wife, Jodi. Married in 2021, they have their own Brady Bunch. Their blended family includes two of every name—Matt, Alex, Emily and Jill. And a Covid puppy was added to the happy mix. Jackson is quite the spoiled fur baby. Free time and family fun for Bruce is filled with sports, music and time in Florida. A major focus for Bruce has been restoring their 100-year-old home.
Enjoy this Q&A with Bruce:
1. Where is your favorite place to travel to?
Naples, Florida. After completing a retirement community in Naples, I grew attached to the city. I met Jodi there and go there to see as many sunsets over the Gulf as possible. It is a place where I can recharge—our home away from home.
2. Describe an interesting hobby or skill you have.
Ask any of my long-time clients and they could answer this. I am an avid Philadelphia Eagles fan. Having gone to the games for over 50 years I now enjoy seeing my two sons take over the tradition. I love to “spar” with our clients all over the country about our “iggles”…especially this year.
I also love music and going to concerts. I have a collection of over 1,000 albums and am always up for music trivia. A unique talent of mine is being able to name an artist, record label and the year an album was produced.
3. What is your favorite meal to cook?
Anything on the grill. I am a grill master.
4. Share a mantra or inspirational quote that is meaningful to you.
“I don’t think you can teach architecture. You can only inspire people.”– Zaha Hadid
When someone joins MDP, we spend less time training them but rather focus our energy on inspiring them. Once that connection happens, good design can flow.
