Patrick Williams, B. Arch 1993

Born in Jamaica, Patrick Williams is an award-winning architect with a successful career of innovative design and project delivery on various building types, predominantly in the K-12, Higher Education and Federal market sectors. After previously holding leadership roles with Moody Nolan, SHW Group and Stantec, he practiced as a sole proprietor, passionately addressing social justice issues on projects guided by the triple bottom line approach to sustainability. A strong and active proponent of evidence-based design, Patrick routinely incorporates those strategies.

He previously earned degrees in Architecture from the City College of New York and a Masters in Construction Management degree from the Catholic University of America. He also has an Executive Education Certificate in Integrated Project Management from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. After ten years on the DC Board of Architecture, Interior Design and Landscape Architecture, he was appointed to the DC Historic Preservation Review Board in 2024. Patrick is a member of various professional organizations including the American Institute of Architects (AIA), National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), US Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Association for Learning Environments (A4LE).

Professional Journey
Currently, I am with DAWSON as a Senior Architect, Project Manager and a subject matter expert providing design and engineering guidance on facility projects for US Customs & Border Protection (CBP). With the success I had previously delivering projects for other federal clients like GSA, Architect of the Capitol and Smithsonian Institution, I wanted to utilize my private sector experience to assist federal agencies in making more informed decisions regarding their facilities. I came to CBP purely by chance in 2015 and grew in my understanding of the agency’s challenges. It is quite rewarding to be using the design-thinking strategies that I learned from my experience to continually solve the problems that CBP faces regularly to improve its facilities.

Favorite memory of your time at CCNY

My favorite memory at CCNY was when I earned second place in the Hong Kong Students Association Photography Competition in 1992. While taking a black & white photography course in the Fall 1991 semester, I was continually encouraged by my art professor who saw something in my work that I did not at that time. On a whim, I submitted a photo I had taken of the NAC as viewed through the Oculus, but at night. I was humbled and surprised at the award presentation.