Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025 competition Honorable mention winner - William Olmsted Iii Antozzi

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce the Honorable Mention winner of Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025 competition – William Olmsted Iii Antozzi from United States!

William Olmsted Iii Antozzi

Please tell us about your company (when it was founded, where it is based, how many employees, etc) Alternatively, if you do not have a company, please give us some insights on your own professional/academia background.

William Olmsted Antozzi Office of Architecture is an architectural design studio that works in public-oriented design, where people live, work, and play. Based in New York City, our expertise in civic and cultural minded spaces is rooted in our experience collaborating with world renowned offices. At our core is a design philosophy that revolves around finding solutions in unexpected opportunities, utilizing simple gestures to create an outsized impact, challenging conventional paradigms, and fostering novel dialogues about humanity's role on our planet. WAO is committed to advancing sustainable design practices. As a signatory to the AIA 2030 Commitment, the firm actively works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while delivering environmentally responsible solutions that are both cost-effective and well designed.

Brief information about the projects that you/your company have been involved with. For instance, what scale have you focused on/preferred, any significant projects where the company/ individuals have been Involved?

William Olmsted Antozzi Office of Architecture (WAO) is a design-driven practice working across architecture and urban-scale interventions with a focus on civic, cultural, and adaptive-reuse projects. Our work typically spans small to mid-scale buildings, from gallery spaces to campus buildings, community pavilions, and institutional expansions, often within complex regulatory, historic, or phased construction contexts. The office has led and collaborated on a range of cultural and public projects. Notable recent work includes a parish columbarium and outdoor sanctuary in Florida; adaptive reuse and expansion projects for arts and cultural venues in New York City; and multiple competition and proposal efforts for major institutions such as botanical gardens, museums, and civic campuses in the U.S. and abroad.

What does architecture mean to you and what is the role of an architect in your society?

The architect’s role in society is to be an intentional steward of the built environment, including social, environmental, and economic forces, advocating for the public good and inclusive outcomes that endure over time.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

Competitions are spaces for experimentation that allow us to contribute to public discourse, challenge conventional solutions, and position design as a meaningful driver of social, environmental, and spatial quality.