HOK recently announced the poignant news that William (Bill) Hellmuth, FAIA, the chairman and CEO of the global design firm, passed away on April 6, 2023, after a long illness. He will be remembered as a hands-on collaborator and mentor whose passion for the design process was palpable, according to a statement from HOK.
“They never expected him to be so hands-on. But that is something Bill took great pride in,” said Susan Klumpp Williams, co-CEO of HOK and managing principal of the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. “He was happiest when working with one of our designers at their desk. His passion for design and our profession inspired those of us who had the privilege of working closely with him.”
An extraordinary architect and leader, Hellmuth designed dozens of award-winning buildings across the globe and, as president and later chairman and CEO of HOK, raised HOK’s profile within the design community and beyond and helped establish the firm as a global sustainable design leader.
He was elected president of HOK in 2005, and, when tapped to become CEO in 2016, Hellmuth accepted the role on the condition that he could remain the design principal for HOK’s Washington, D.C., studio and firm-wide design leader. A year later, he also was named chairman.
Bill’s work won 29 awards from the American Institute of Architects, spanned nearly every building type and 20 countries. Some of his most notable projects include The National Air and Space Museum; Abu Dhabi National Oil Company Headquarters; the U.S. Embassy Chancery and Office Annex in Moscow; the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi; the D.C. Consolidated Forensic Library; the Sheraton Inn Timika Guest House; the Msheireb Downtown Doha mixed-use community; the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center and Residential Community; University of Maryland Baltimore Health Sciences Facility III; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters and many more.
“With the perspective of more than four decades, I can safely state that I have never met an architect who was Bill’s equal in combining design thinking, empathetic leadership, client relations, business development and business acumen,” said Carl Galioto, president of HOK. “He truly was one of a kind and it was my great pleasure to work with him.”
To read a full tribute to his life and legacy, visit hok.com/news-events.
