William (Bill) Hellmuth, FAIA, the chairman and CEO of HOK, passed away on April 6, 2023, after a long illness.
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. During his leadership, HOK was listed as one of the world’s most influential companies by Time Magazine, repeatedly earned mention in Fast Company’s list of most innovative companies and was annually ranked the world’s largest design firm specializing in both architecture and engineering.
While proud of HOK’s accomplishments, Hellmuth kept his focus on the future and was happiest while brainstorming ideas with clients and HOK project teams. He was elected president of HOK, Inc. in 2005. 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.
Susan Klumpp Williams, managing principal of the D.C. office, worked alongside Hellmuth for more than 30 years. She recalls how he would impress clients with his commitment to their projects even while overseeing the firm’s global strategies and operations.
“They never expected him to be so hands-on. But that is something Bill took great pride in,” said Klumpp Williams. “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.”
A few of Hellmuth’s most notable designs include the 75-story Abu Dhabi National Oil Company Headquarters in the UAE; the U.S. Embassy Chancery and Office Annex in Moscow; the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi; the Sheraton Inn Timika Guest House in Irian Jaya, Indonesia; Msheireb Downtown Doha mixed-use community in Qatar; King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center and Residential Community in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Rhine Ordnance Barracks Medical Center Replacement in Kaiserslautern, Germany; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina; Morgan State University’s Jenkins Hall Behavioral and Social Sciences Center in Baltimore; and the Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton, Virginia.
Related Stories
Museums | Jul 29, 2019
A new museum debuts inside the Empire State Building
A $165 million, 10,000-sf museum opened on the second floor of the Empire State Building in New York City, completing the second of a four-phase “reimagining” of that building’s observatory experience, which draws four million visitors annually.
Multifamily Housing | Jul 23, 2019
Is prefab in your future?
The most important benefit of offsite construction, when done right, is reliability.
Healthcare Facilities | Jul 15, 2019
Can a kids’ healthcare space teach, entertain, and heal?
Standard building requirements don’t have to be boring. Here’s how you can inject whimsical touches into everyday design features.
Architects | Jul 10, 2019
9 picks from NeoCon 2019
Interior architect Mary Bartlett selects her favorite products and systems from the 2019 NeoCon show, Chicago, June 10-12, 2019.
BD+C University Course | Jul 8, 2019
Shadow box design: To vent or not to vent [AIA course]
A curtain wall shadow box is a spandrel assembly consisting of vision glass at the building exterior and an opaque infill at the interior side of the curtain wall system. This course is worth 1.0 AIA LU/HSW.
Architects | Jul 8, 2019
Unity Temple, Robie House among eight Frank Lloyd Wright projects to receive World Heritage status
The UNESCO designation includes signature works designed by Wright during the first half of the 20th century.
Architects | Jul 1, 2019
Perkins Eastman Co-founder Mary-Jean Eastman to keynote Women in Design+Construction Conference
Two of Perkins Eastman’s firm leaders—Mary-Jean Eastman, FAIA, Vice Chair and Managing Principal of its New York City studio, and Barbara Mullenex, AIA, Managing Principal of the Washington, D.C., studio—will share anecdotes about their personal journeys to the top of a global architecture, design, and planning firm, at Building Design+Construction's fourth annual Women in Design+Construction Conference. The event will take place November 11-13, 2019, at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess resort in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Jun 27, 2019
Foster + Partners unveils design of wooden boathouse for Row New York
The project will sit on the banks of the Harlem River in Sherman Creek Park.
Building Tech | Jun 26, 2019
Modular construction can deliver projects 50% faster
Modular construction can deliver projects 20% to 50% faster than traditional methods and drastically reshape how buildings are delivered, according to a new report from McKinsey & Co.
Architects | Jun 24, 2019
Clayco combines architecture and design assets into one business unit
Lamar Johnson Collaborative adds BatesForum.