Bill Ash

"Legos and Lincoln Logs" formed the early foundation of Bill's interest in architecture. So did living in several locations growing up, including a few overseas. "The exposure to such varied experiences and urban scales really affected my perspective," he reports. Today that translates into proven design leadership in SmithGroup's Higher Education Practice. He champions academic projects as inclusive endeavors that draw from the insights, experience and perspectives of an array of constituencies. Bill also draws from legends like Frederick Law Olmsted. "He had an almost supernatural ability to understand both the evolutionary and timeless nature of his work," he suggests, "and to foresee a beauty that might not even be fully realized until decades after his death." Bill's creative spirit easily spans genres. "I'd love to be a novelist. Over the years I've noticed many parallels between writing and architecture, having to do with process, creativity and the flow of ideas."