William Harris

AIA, LEED AP
Principal, Science and Technology, Boston

Bill’s approach to design and management reflects a balance of the natural and the urban, the artistic and the commercial, the creative and the practical. He was heavily influenced by the teachings of his father, a businessman from Vermont, and his mother, an artist from Montreal.

Today, Bill is a nationally recognized design leader in the life sciences industry and at the forefront a trend known as “convergence.” That’s when traditionally distinct design typologies overlap, blend, and blur. It’s no surprise that he’s just as comfortable leading the design of a science laboratory as he is a workplace, a healthcare environment, or a place for higher learning.

Bill loves to surround himself with adventurous thinkers. As a design practitioner, he’s always seeking out ways to bring people from different disciplines together. His motto? “Make it work, and make it inspire.”

Building the Most Innovative Square Mile on Earth
Bill has spent the majority of his career in Boston, leading science and technology efforts for the Northeast region. Watch the video for Bill's insights on Kendall Square, a global innovation hub in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
“Working with talented people, to translate ideas into architecture, and positively impacting behavior and experience, are great outcomes of both process and construction.”

“As an architect, the biggest challenge is understanding human nature and building trust. Pitching a new idea, to a naturally skeptical audience, requires building consensus for a shared vision. By developing a collective mission and shared institutional goals, the design will resonate on a human level.”

Bill and his wife Marcia created the “Biotech Battle of the Bands” in Boston, an industry event that has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity. There were two clients that helped drive it—a CFO of a bio-tech firm and a Director of Real Estate and Planning for another. It has since become one of the premier events in Boston; bringing together lawyers, scientists, investors, contractors, engineers, C-suite leaders, and designers—anyone that works in the biotech sector and wants to celebrate the industry and raise money for charity.

William's Featured Work

Takeda
Work
Takeda Oncology Research and Development Headquarters
Boston, Massachusetts
Photo of adaptive re-use science lab in historic New York building
Work
Innolabs
Long Island City, New York