As I walk, a mural hiding in plain sight catches the corner of my eye: the striking “Buffalo Buildings” at 172 Allen St. features an incredibly detailed illustration of downtown’s architectural marvels modeled from an architect’s pencil sketch created more than 30 years ago.
HHL Architects unveiled this mural on the side of their building at 172 Allen Street. According to business partner Matthew Meier, AIA, the original pencil drawing was made by one of HHL’s longtime Associate Architects, Christopher Guerra, in 1988. Meier mentioned that Guerra completed the sketch prior to joining the HHL team 30 years ago.
“Guerra is an experienced renderer and has a deep affection for Buffalo,” said Meier. “The artwork has been admired by architecture enthusiasts and Guerra’s peers for three decades. On July 2, 2019, HHL Architects will celebrate their 50-year anniversary, and for this occasion, they wanted to commemorate it with a mural. However, this mural is not just an ordinary one – it is worth noting that HHL has contributed to the preservation of most of the historic buildings featured in the artwork. Therefore, it serves as a tribute to the city’s renaissance and also acts as a distinctive symbol for HHL Architects.”