Maine License: #ARC2911
Massachusetts License: #30490
New York License: #030750
A co-founder of A4 Architects, William Hanley is an Architect Registered in the State of Maine, Massachusetts and New York. He is also a Member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and holds National Council of Architecture Registration Boards (NCARB) Certification. He enjoys focusing on the process of design: solving problems and finding new directions through investigations in making. From schematic design models, design development computer modeling, to full size onsite mockups, the relationship between designing and building becomes clear: through building we gain insight, innovation and validity to the design.
His interest in building developed while pursuing his Master of Architecture at the University of Washington in Seattle after completing his Bachelor’s of Science in Architectural Studies at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. During his graduate studies, explorations and problem solving through making was pursued in several design/build studios where everything from lighting fixtures, stage design and a 14’ cat’s paw dinghy were constructed. During his first year of graduate studies in architecture at the University of Washington, William received a scholarship to attend the Rheinisch- Westfaelische Technishe Hochschule (RWTH-Aachen) in Aachen, Germany. While attending the RWTH-Aachen and attending German speaking graduate architecture design studios, he participated in a design/build competition for a local theater group, designed a 40, 000 sq.ft. metal fabrication building and entered a design proposal for a pedestrian bridge in the city of Oberhausen, Germany.
After the completion of his M.ARCH Thesis (Exploring Intentions through Making: The Seattle Boat Building School) in 1996, he moved to Maine where he completed a IDP internship with local firms. During that time he also continued independently developing design proposals for various international architecture competitions. Some of the proposals included The Alvar Aalto Defense Corps Building in Jyvaskyla, Finland; The Finnish Pavilion for the 2000 World’s Fair in Hannover, Germany; The Middle School of the New Millennium in Vuosaari Finland; The Helsinki Music Center in Helsinki, Finland and a Lutheran Parish Church in Klaukkala, Finland. Focusing on Finnish architecture and related competitions, William has a deep interest in the high standards of Finland’s architecture and building professions. Finnish materials and methods are often used in A4’s projects where they elevate standards of design and construction. Most recently, he has submitted a prototype plywood chair design titled "Bandwidth" to several international furniture design companies and will be exhibited during Fall '06 at the Portland Museum of Art in Portland, Maine and the Center for Furniture Craftmanship in Rockport, Maine within the exhibition, Maine Architects Design Furniture. He also has completed the Sauna 1105 Pavilion design/build project on Mount Desert Island, Maine that exhibits Finnish traditions of log construction and contemporary wood details. The sauna is published in the 2003 Issue #3 of the Finnish Architectural Review Magazine “ARK” (pp.68-69) and the 2006 Vol.20 N.10 Issue of Portland Magazine (pp.17-18).