Submitted by Kristi Wachter on
William Wurster (1895 - 1973) brought a "less is more" aesthetic to residences and revitalized architectural education.
Born on October 20, 1895 in Stockton, California, Wurster received his architecture degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1919. He brought the craftsman influence of his mentor Bernard Maybeck to his more modern residences.
He became known for building liveable small homes, and inexpensive homes - and had a half-serious reputation for building expensive homes that looked cheap.
With his partners in Wurster, Bernardi & Emmons, he designed larger projects, such as the Bank of America building in San Francisco.
He taught at MIT and, as dean at the University of California, Berkeley, he rejuvenated design studies when he combined the Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning departments to form the new College of Environmental Design.
Wurster died on September 19, 1973.