William Hunt

Architect William Hunt's contemporary designs are marked by the use of wood, stone, and glass in an intimate coordination of architecture and landscape. Following his initial training, he worked for the firm of Antonin Raymond (as did George Nakashima), continuing his association through World War II, remodeling the Camp Kilmer army barracks among other projects. Drafted in 1942, Hunt designed airfields with the First Battalion Aviation Engineers.

After earning his master's degree, Hunt opened his own firm, in partnership with Jules Gregory. They designed public buildings, including schools in Philadelphia and West Amwell, New Jersey; the Solebury School gym; and the Rescue Squad building in Lambertville, but Hunt put most of his efforts into residential designs. He remodeled the home of Paul Whiteman, created three homes over the years for Lloyd and Barbara Westcott, and designed many of the homes on Lower Creek Road.

Hunt enjoyed painting as an avocation. He was able to satisfy his love of design through painting more so than through architecture seeing that the designing process is only a small part of the architect's job. His work was included in a 50th Anniversary Retrospective Exhibition at Phillips' Mill.

Education and Training
Solebury School, New Hope, Pennsylvania, 1935
AB, Princeton University, Architecture, Princeton, New Jersey, 1939
Post-graduate work in architecture, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, 1940
Worked with Antonin Raymond, 1939-1942, 1945-1948
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1946

Teachers and Influences
William Hunt studied with Anna Betts and C. F. Ramsey at the Solebury School in New Hope. He also studied with Harry Leith-Ross and John Folinsbee during the summers he spent at Princeton University.

Connection to Bucks County
William Hunt was born in Lambertville, New Jersey, and lived there his entire life. His parents owned the Byroad Farm on Goat Hill Road, now Chimney Hill Farm Bed and Breakfast. The farm was remodeled for the family by architect Margaret Fulton Spencer in 1927, with landscaping done by painter Elizabeth Freedley Price. Hunt opened his own architectural firm in 1949 and went into partnership with architect Jules Gregory. Hunt met his wife, Janet, when she first came to work at the firm. They lived on Byroad Farm in a remodeled two-story chicken house. Janet Hunt remains active in the Lambertville and New Hope art communities.

Colleagues and Affiliations
William Hunt studied painting with Charles F. Ramsey, Harry Leith-Ross and John Folinsbee. He was partner with architect Jules Gregory and worked with architect and designers, Antonin and Noemi Raymond. Writer James Gould Cozzens was a neighbor, while painter B.J.O. Nordfeld and Lloyd and Barbara Wescott were friends and colleagues.
Hunt was a member of the Phillips' Mill Community Association and an original stockholder in the Bucks County Playhouse. He established the Phillips-Barber Foundation with Lloyd Wescott to help families pay medical expenses (later became the Phillips-Barber Family Health Center, part of the Hunterdon Medical Center). Hunt was actively involved with the community on various projects.

Major Group Exhibitions
50th Anniversary Retrospective Art Exhibition, Phillips' Mill Community Association, 1979

Architecture
Camp Kilmer, Army Barracks, with Antonin Raymond, New Jersey, 1940
Solebury School Gymnasium, Solebury, Pennsylvania, 1949
Several major buildings for the Ward Law School of Plainfield, New Jersey
Remodeling of West Amwell Consolidated School, West Amwell, New Jersey
Lambertville Rescue Squad Building, Lambertville, New Jersey
West Amwell Municipal Building, West Amwell, New Jersey (original and present building)
Many residential designs, including the homes of Paul Whiteman and Lloyd and Barbara Wescott in Rosemont, New Jersey

Awards
Several awards for architecture, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey

Affiliations and Memberships
Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope, Pennsylvania
Phillips' Mill Community Association, New Hope, Pennsylvania
Phillips-Barber Foundation, Lambertville, New Jersey