Welcome to the world of William McDonough

William McDonough is an architect and globally recognized leader in sustainable development and design. He is a pioneer of the concepts of Cradle to Cradle Design™, the Circular Economy and the Circular Carbon Economy, notably co-authoring Cradle to Cradle: Remaking The Way We Make Things.

Work with William McDonough

News

About

William McDonough’s interests, activities and influence range widely, as he works at scales from the global to the molecular. Click here to read William McDonough’s Biography.

Writings

Carbon Is Not The Enemy (2016)

Design with the natural cycle in mind to ensure that carbon ends up in the right places, urges William McDonough in the journal Nature.
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Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things (2002)

Published in 2002, Cradle to Cradle is widely acknowledged a one of the most important environmental manifestos of our time.
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Designing The City Of Tomorrow (2017)

Scientific American July 2017 cover story. Urban areas can improve the planet as well as people’s lives if they become much more resourceful with energy, water, food and minerals
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The Upcycle: Beyond Sustainability—Designing for Abundance (2013)

The Upcycle: Beyond Sustainability—Designing for Abundance is the follow-up to Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, the 2002 book that is widely acknowledged as a seminal text of the sustainability movement.
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The Hannover Principles: Design for Sustainability (1992)

Prepared in 1992 by William McDonough Architects and Dr. Michael Braungart; commissioned by the City of Hannover, Germany, as design principles for Expo 2000, The World’s Fair.
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Fashion is a Verb (2015)

Foreword by William McDonough for Sustainable Fashion: What’s Next, 2nd Edition
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Investing in Innovation for the Common Good (2015)

An appreciation and sharing of Thomas F. Darden’s speech on low energy nuclear reaction at The 19th International Conference on Condensed Matter Nuclear Science, Padua, Italy, April 13, 2015
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Building for a Better World and Making People Smile (2014)

Newsweek asked William McDonough and Coert Zachariasse to discuss their Park 20|20 project, and why it might be seen as a model for similar environmental design all over the world.
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Building Cities that Celebrate Life (2014)

ASU Global Institute of Sustainability News, Thought Leader Series
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Clean Machine (2014)

Published by Huffington Post, September 10, 2014
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Climate change and circular economy take centre stage at Davos (2014)

After leading a design and sustainability workshop at this year's World Economic Forum, William McDonough reflects on why he is hopeful for sustainable change
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Designing cities and factories with urban agriculture in mind (2014)

The Netherlands offers inspiration for designers looking to create environments that harvest water, energy and nutrients
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Foreword: Second Nature Urban Agriculture (2014)

Foreword written by William McDonough for Second Nature Urban Agriculture: Designing Productive Cities (eds. Andre Vilijoen & Katrin Bohn, published by Routledge, 2014)
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The Future of Small-Scale Wind Power (2014)

Wind power is one renewable energy source that’s fixing its flaws and being used for small-scale production.
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Driving sustainable transformation via the power of design (2013)

Inspiring goals, combined with good design, can help companies do more good, instead of just less bad, argues William McDonough
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Earth Days (2013)

Written by William McDonough and Wendy Schmidt in honor of Earth Day 2013
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‘Upcycling’ business: honouring nature while meeting society’s needs (2013)

A new fellowship seeks to bring young designers and engineers together to reinvent the economy with a sustainable philosophy
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Let’s save ‘endangered technical species’ (2013)

Excerpted from The Upcycle: Beyond Sustainability—Designing for Abundance by William McDonough and Michael Braungart
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The 1.4 billion pound pet-stained global menace (2013)

Excerpt from The Upcycle, published on CNBC, August 6, 2013
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A 21st Century View of Architectural Graphic Standards (2005)

Foreword: Architectural Graphic Standards
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Foreword: The Natural Advantage of Nations (2004)

Foreword by William McDonough for The Natural Advantage of Nations: Business Opportunities, Innovations and Governance in the 21st Century by Karlson Hargroves and Michael Harrison Smith
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The Elephant in the Living Room (2004)

How Addressing the Trade Deficit Can Re-Invigorate American Industry
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The Cradle-to-Cradle Alternative (2004)

Imagine a world in which all the things we make, use, and consume provide nutrition for nature and industry—a world in which growth is good and human activity generates a delightful, restorative ecological footprint.
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A New Era for Manufacturing (2004)

The reopening of the Ford River Rouge plant as the Ford Rouge Center, and its availability for public tours, represents more than just the rebirth of a cultural opportunity in Detroit; it hearkens a sea change in the future of manufacturing in America, and indeed, throughout the world.
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A Field of Dreams (2003)

Green Roofs, Ecological Design and the Future of Urbanism
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Address to the Woods Hole Symposium (2003)

July 2003
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Between Technology and Culture (2003)

Building a Framework for the Biotech Debate
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Celebrating Human Artifice (2003)

Design is the fundamental shaping of the human world, an essential aspect of culture.
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Foreword to the Chinese Edition of Cradle to Cradle (2003)

by William McDonough and Michael Braungart
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Foreword: Leading Change Toward Sustainability (2003)

William McDonough's foreward to the book by Bob Doppelt.
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From Principles to Practices (2003)

Written for The Hannover Principles 10th Anniversary Edition by William McDonough & Michael Braungart
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Principles, Practices and Sustainable Design (2003)

Toward a New Context for Building Codes, by William McDonough
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Regulation and Re-design (2003)

Tapping Innovation and Creativity to Preserve the Commons, by William McDonough and Michael Braungart
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Something Lived, Something Dreamed (2003)

Urban Design & the American West by William McDonough
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Toward a 21st Century Renaissance (2003)

Education, Design and a Hopeful Human Prospect, by William McDonough
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Toward a Future of Energy Effectiveness (2003)

As more and more evidence suggests that the traditional ways of doing business may not be sustainable over the long term, many of today’s leading industrialists are practicing a curious maneuver; they are trying to put the brakes on without taking their foot off the accelerator.
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Toward a Sustaining Architecture for the 21st Century (2003)

The Promise of Cradle-to-Cradle Design, by William McDonough & Michael Braungart
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A Building Like a Tree, a Campus Like a Forest (2002)

Sustainable Design, Ecological Literacy, and the Legacy of the New England Campus
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A New Geography of Hope (2002)

Landscape, Design, and the Renewal of Ecological Intelligence
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Beyond the Triple Bottom Line (2002)

A New Standard for 21st Century Commerce
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Buildings Like Trees, Cities Like Forests (2002)

©2002 William McDonough & Michael Braungart, The Catalog of the Future, Pearson Press
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Dear Conscious Choice (2002)

A letter from William McDonough
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Design for the Triple Top Line (2002)

New Tools for Sustainable Commerce
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How Much Can I Give for What I Get? (2002)

It’s a question with transformative power. Used as a tool to drive design it can generate a dynamic field of economic inquiry and a new direction for business.
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Redefining Green (2002)

A New Definition of Quality Empowers the Next Wave of Design
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The Guardian Reborn (2002)

A New Government Role in Environmental Protection
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The Living City (2002)

Nature, Design and the Greening of Chicago by William McDonough
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Waging Peace With Intelligent Design (2002)

In early October 2002, The New York Times reported that the United States was preparing to launch a $94 million counter-insurgency program to help the Columbian military protect a 500-mile oil pipeline...
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Beyond Efficiency (2001)

Adapted from Cradle to Cradle, a new book by William McDonough and Michael Braungart, forthcoming from North Point Press.
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Hope and Human Enterprise (2001)

A Statement of Purpose for the China-U.S. Center for Sustainable Development by William McDonough
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The Extravagant Gesture (2001)

Nature, Design, and the Transformation of Human Industry
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A Boat for Thoreau (1997)

A Discourse on Ecology, Ethics, and the Making of Things, By William McDonough
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A Centennial Sermon: Design, Ecology, Ethics and the Making of Things (1993)

Delivered by William McDonough at The Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York City February 7, 1993
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Milestones

12/20/2023
In collaboration with Jorge Gascon at KAUST, William McDonough launches ClimateCrete™️

ClimateCrete is revolutionizing concrete production by making local sand aggregates suitable for concrete production, thereby ending the construction industry’s dependency on costly, environmentally damaging sand imports. ClimateCrete’s formulation also greatly reduces concrete’s carbon footprint and yields a cost-effective upgrade to conventional concrete.

05/30/2023
William McDonough Delivers Keynote at Global Sustainable Development Congress

McDonough delivered a keynote presentation alongside Nadine Zidani, founder of Sustainable Change-Makers Academy, titled “The Sustainability Crises of Our Time: A Business Perspective.”

04/25/2023
American Apparel & Footwear Association Honors William McDonough as Eco-Steward of the Year

McDonough’s pioneering efforts in sustainability and circular economy in many sectors including the fashion industry and collaboration with Ralph Lauren demonstrate that sustainability can be achieved through innovative design and responsible manufacturing. The AAFA and the American Image Awards play a vital role in promoting and recognizing the industry’s progress, encouraging brands to prioritize environmental and social responsibility.

01/24/2023
Ralph Lauren Achieves Cradle to Cradle Certified® for their Iconic Cashmere Sweater

In collaboration with MI and MBDC, Ralph Lauren achieves industry’s first Cradle to Cradle Certified® cashmere sweater.

01/21/2023
William McDonough Attends Another Successful WEF Davos Gathering

William McDonough attends another successful Davos gathering, celebrating innovations for the circular economy and circular carbon economy. The ICEhouse is reassembled and used as a gathering place for the seventh year in Davos.

11/06/2022
William McDonough Attends COP27

William McDonough attends COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, and speaks on several panel discussions. 

10/17/2022
William McDonough Gives Keynote Fireside Chat at Sustainable Brands 2022

William McDonough gives keynote fireside chat alongside Sustainable Brands founder and Chief Executive, KoAnne Vikoren Skrzyniarz, at Sustainable Brands 2022 in San Diego

09/19/2022
William McDonough Speaks at the 2022 Concordia Annual Summit

William McDonough speaks at the 2022 Concordia Annual Summit while attending Climate Week in New York City.

06/07/2022
William McDonough Attends the Global Fashion Summit: Copenhagen Edition 2022

William McDonough attends the GFS in Copenhagen with the theme, Alliances for a New Era, and takes part in a panel discussion titled,  “Global Alliances and Circularity: How Close Are We?" Additionally, Ralph Lauren unveils their new Cradle to Cradle Certified® cashmere sweater. 

05/22/2022
William McDonough Engages and Leads Circular Economy Conversations at World Economic Forum Annual Meeting

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, William McDonough facilitates conversations around Cradle to Cradle, Circular Economy and the Circular Carbon Economy, in addition to the ICEHouse being assembled for the sixth year in a row. 

10/31/2021
McDonough Innovation Presents the ICE Hub during COP26 in Glasgow

The ICE Hub features Innovation for the Circular Economy and opens October 31 in Glasgow.

03/09/2021
Ralph Lauren Partners with McDonough Innovation on their Circular Strategy

Ralph Lauren partners with McDonough Innovation on their circular strategy, including their commitment to achieving Cradle to Cradle Certified® for 5 of their products by 2025.

03/04/2020
William McDonough Gives G20 Opening Speeches on the Circular Carbon Economy

William McDonough speaks at G20 workshops on the potential of the Circular Carbon Economy to serve as a framework for effective systems for carbon management.

01/25/2020
William McDonough Accelerates Circular Economy During World Economic Forum

During his 19th attendance to the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, William McDonough speaks at several events to promote a Cradle to Cradle Circular Economy.

12/16/2019
William McDonough Launches The Circular Carbon Economy During COP 25

William McDonough joins Professor Carlos Duarte onstage at the BBVA Foundation to encourage a Circular Economy which recognizes the importance of reusing, recycling and recovering carbon-containing materials from the environment and removing them from the atmosphere. 

09/05/2019
William McDonough Addresses Fortune’s Global Sustainability Forum

While delivering A Cradle-to-Cradle Solution, William McDonough focuses on the importance of CEOs operating as Chief Sustainability Officers

06/04/2019
William McDonough Sets A New Framework for Plastics and Packaging at Sustainable Brands

Onstage, William McDonough shares the potential to rethink and redesign packaging which is reusable, recyclable, compostable and — importantly — recoverable

04/01/2019
William McDonough named by Fortune Magazine as one of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders

William McDonough is named on Fortune Magazine’s 2019 World’s 50 Greatest Leaders List at #24 amongst 49 others who are “transforming the world and inspiring others to do the same.”

01/01/2019
Cradle to Cradle released as part of the Penguin Patterns of Life series

Penguin Books UK released the five books they feel best explore how humans have shaped the planet, including Cradle to Cradle and The Origin of Species

12/05/2018
William McDonough joins Circulate Capital advisory board

William McDonough brings his experience with packaging innovation and circular economy thinking to Circulate Capital, a venture capital fund focused on stemming the flow of plastics in the ocean

11/20/2018
William McDonough headlines The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Disruptive Innovation Festival (DIF) on Safe & Circular: Cradle to Cradle Design™ for the Circular Economy

Joe Murphy interviews William McDonough about Cradle to Cradle Design's™ foundational role in Circular Economy thinking and why safe and healthy materials are important to circularity

10/05/2018
Fashion for Good, co-founded by William McDonough, opens museum in Amsterdam

Fashion for Good's Experience, an interactive museum which celebrates innovation in fashion, highlights William McDonough and Cradle to Cradle Certified™ T-shirts

09/15/2018
William McDonough keynotes Emerson Collective’s Do-Fest at Cavallo Point entitled Cradle to Cradle Oceans

William McDonough outlines a new framework for the global plastics crisis which goes beyond single use to design materials which are recyclable, reusable, compostable and recoverable

08/16/2018
C&A launches Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Gold-level jeans developed with McDonough Innovation and MBDC

The first fully Cradle to Cradle Certified™ denim garments which utilize Design for the Circular Economy™ hit the market with assessment from MBDC and support from William McDonough

02/06/2018
William McDonough keynotes GreenBiz 2018

William McDonough, recently returned from Davos and presented The Creation of the Perception of Scarcity Where Nothing Exists – the latest findings on the size of current financial markets related to global GDP and the potential of The Circular Economy.

12/06/2017
William McDonough receives 2017 Hanley Award

William McDonough is honored with the 2017 Hanley Award for Vision and Leadership in Sustainability during the annual HIVE conference.

11/13/2017
William McDonough presents “Towards a New Language of Luxury” at the New York Times International Luxury Conference

Presentation by William McDonough, C.E.O., McDonough Innovation and Co-Author, "Cradle to Cradle," at The New York Times's International Luxury Conference, followed by a conversation with Vanessa Friedman, Fashion Director and Chief Fashion Critic.

10/04/2017
William McDonough & Michael Braungart honored with WorldGBC Award

McDonough & Braungart received the 2017 David Gottfried Award for their unique approach to a business-led green building strategy. 

08/01/2017
Shaw Contract relaunches A Walk in the Garden

William McDonough's first carpet tile design collection with Shaw is re-released in new colors and sizes.

07/01/2017
Scientific American publishes “Designing the City of Tomorrow” by William McDonough

Urban areas can improve the planet as well as people’s lives if they become much more resourceful with energy, water, food and minerals

05/22/2017
William McDonough keynotes Sustainable Brands 2017 in Detroit

William McDonough delivers a keynote speech: "In Search of More Good How and Why 'Getting the Frame Right' is Essential in Design" at Sustainable Brands 2017 in Detroit.

05/11/2017
William McDonough speaks at the 2017 Copenhagen Fashion Summit

William McDonough was a featured speaker at the 2017 Copenhagen Fashion Summit, in a segment titled: “Cradle to Cradle, the Circular Economy and The Five Goods".

05/04/2017
C&A Announces First Cradle to Cradle Certified™ GOLD T-Shirts in Partnership with MBDC and McDonough Innovation

C&A, one of Europe’s leading fashion retailers, debuted the first Cradle to Cradle Certified™ GOLD T-shirts, marking an achievement level not seen before for a fashion garment. The nine-month development began in 2016 where MBDC served as assessor for the Cradle to Cradle Certified Products Program to help C&A, Fashion for Good, and McDonough Innovation achieve their goal of supporting two India-based garment manufacturers—Cotton Blossom and Pratibha Syntex—to develop and produce two Cradle to Cradle Certified T-shirts.

04/01/2017
Plantronics, Park 20|20

With offices in 20 countries, Plantronics, the pioneer of lightweight headsets, selected Park 20|20 and William McDonough + Partners for their new European Office in The Netherlands.

03/30/2017
Fashion for Good Launches in Partnership with McDonough Innovation

Fashion for Good is a worldwide laboratory of innovation and practical action based in Amsterdam. Fashion for Good was created with an initial grant from founding partner C&A Foundation, and prior to launch the partners that built the foundation of Fashion for Good include: the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, IDH – The Sustainable Trade Initiative, Impact Hub Amsterdam, McDonough Innovation, The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), Plug and Play, C&A and Kering.

03/29/2017
William McDonough Announces The Five Goods

William McDonough announces The Five Goods, inspired by Cradle to Cradle®.

01/17/2017
ICEhouse returns to Davos

At the 2017 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, McDonough's iconic ICEhouse™ (Innovation for the Circular Economy House) returned as a meeting place for a second year in a row. ICEhouse offers a curiosity to visitors to Davos of the opportunities of WonderFrame™, McDonough's broader vision for a simple, flexible, and affordable floor and roof structural system that can be erected quickly with the simplest of tools. The ICEhouse was commissioned by Hub Culture and supported by SABIC. This special Davos edition is made of technical materials (durable polymers, aluminum and aerogel) which will be returned to industry at the end of their use cycle. These durable elements can be endlessly used and reused in new products across generations.

01/17/2017
The Circulars 2017 Winner of The Fortune Award for Circular Economy Leadership

William McDonough received the 2017 Fortune Award for Circular Economy Leadership at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The award recognizes leaders who have made an outstanding contribution to the development of a prosperous and sustainable economy. In recognizing McDonough, the committee singled out his lifetime of visionary work, furthering innovation in design – both in theory and in practice.

11/14/2016
William McDonough Announces a New Language of Carbon

During the COP22 events in Marrakech, William McDonough gives a speech called "The New Language of Carbon" and Nature magazine publishes his essay titled "Carbon is not the enemy".

10/11/2016
William McDonough keynotes SXSW Eco

William McDonough delivered a Keynote address at SXSW Eco in Austin, Texas, in which for the first time he presented a new concept called the Carbon Positive City.

10/06/2016
2016 USGBC Leadership Award

William McDonough receives the 2016 USGBC Leadership Award from the US Green Building Council during the 2016 Greenbuild Conference and Expo. The Leadership Awards recognize outstanding individuals and organizations that embody vision, leadership and commitment to the evolution of green buildings and communities as a vehicle to enhance our quality of life.

09/21/2016
William McDonough speaks at the last CGI Annual Meeting

William McDonough speaks about Cradle to Cradle design, the Circular Economy and Global Shared Prosperity during the 2016 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting session: “Turning Landfills into Goldmines: Can We Make the Circular Economy a Reality.”

04/21/2016
Ambassador J. William Middendorf ll Award

William McDonough receives the Ambassador J. William Middendorf ll award from the Netherland-America Foundation

04/13/2016
ICEhouse is reassembled in the Netherlands

The ‪ICEhouse™ (ICE = Innovation for the Circular Economy) was‪ reassembled at the ‪Circular EXPO at The Valley, the Netherlands’ national hotspot for the ‪circular economy. The reusable building was first assembled in Davos in January 2016 for the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting, where William McDonough is the Chair of the Meta-Council for the Circular Economy.

03/10/2016
Hero Global Center for Innovation and Technology Opens

Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest manufacturer of two-wheeled vehicles, celebrated the opening of its new research and development campus in Jaipur, India, designed by William McDonough + Partners.

01/18/2016
ICEhouse is unveiled in Davos

William McDonough + Partners and McDonough Innovation showcased a new structure in Davos in conjunction with the 2016 World Economic Forum annual meeting. ICEhouse™ (Innovation for the Circular Economy house) was designed to demonstrate the positive design framework described in Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, the sustainable development goals of the United Nations, and the reuse of resources implicit in the circular economy.

05/14/2015
National Wildlife Federation Conservation Award

William McDonough received the J.N. “Ding” Darling Conservation Award from The National Wildlife Federation (NWF).

04/28/2015
Method Southside Soapbox Grand Opening in Chicago

Designed by William McDonough + Partners, the facility is the first LEED Platinum manufacturing facility in the cleaning product sector, and features the world's largest roof greenhouse.

04/18/2015
William McDonough speaks on the National Mall for Earth Day

William McDonough announced a new design effort at Global Citizen 2015 Earth Day, the 45th anniversary of Earth Day, held at the Washington Monument Grounds on the National Mall.

01/01/2015
Dropbox Headquarters Opens

William McDonough + Partners designed 333 Brannan, now fully leased by Dropbox, to be resource effective, to support human and ecological health, and to respect the South of Market historic district character.

01/01/2015
UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay

William McDonough + Partners, Stantec (formerly Anshen + Allen), and Arup recently collaborated on the new UCSF Medical Center complex at Mission Bay—the first hospital built from the ground up in San Francisco in several decades.

10/22/2014
Hero MotoCorp’s Garden Factory in Neemrana opens

Hero MotoCorp's Garden Factory, designed by William McDonough + Partners, opens in Neemrana, India.

09/10/2014
World Economic Forum, China

William McDonough delivers a key speech, “Resource Abundance by Design,” at the eighth Annual Meeting of the New Champions, convened by the World Economic Forum in Tianjin, China.

01/22/2014
World Economic Forum, Davos

McDonough speaks at the World Economic Forum about the circular economy and Cradle to Cradle, and is named Chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on the Circular Economy.

01/08/2014
United Nations’ Sustainable Development Working Group

McDonough presents at the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Working Group

01/01/2014
Bluewater, Park 20|20

Bluewater Energy Services, a leading Dutch engineering firm, chose Park 20|20 as the home for its new headquarters. Designed by William McDonough + Partners, the 8,000 square meter building, rated BREEAM Excellent, consolidates approximately 600 employees in one facility, creating an inspirational workplace that supports collaboration, well-being and productivity.

09/18/2013
Rachel Carson Environmental Award

William McDonough receives the Rachel Carson Environmental Award from the Natural Products Association.

05/22/2013
FIFPro world headquarters opens at Park 20|20

FIFPro’s new headquarters, designed by William McDonough + Partners, opens at Park 20|20, the first Cradle to Cradle inspired development in the Netherlands, designed and master planned by William McDonough + Partners.

04/16/2013
The Upcycle: Beyond Sustainability—Designing for Abundance is released

by William McDonough and Michael Braungart, The Upcycle draws on a decade of lessons in putting Cradle to Cradle concepts into practice.

01/01/2013
Karachi School for Business & Leadership

This newly established business school in Pakistan takes ethics as a generating theme for the educational curriculum. Consequently, the building was designed to reinforce the idea of integration between the human and natural environment; embodying concepts of environmental responsibility and sustainability. Designed by William McDonough + Partners

11/16/2012
William McDonough gives Closing Plenary at Greenbuild

William McDonough speaks at the 2012 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in San Francisco, California.

11/15/2012
Stanford University Libraries acquire the archives of William McDonough

William McDonough and Stanford University Libraries announce that they will create a comprehensive, real-time approach to archiving the McDonough collections.

11/15/2012
William McDonough Day

Mayor Lee of San Francisco declares November 15, 2012, William McDonough Day.

05/01/2012
Biological Nutrient Pavilion (Parkcafé Groen), Park 20|20

Sited on opposite ends of Park 20|20, William McDonough + Partners designed two pavilions that are connected by greenhouses to be part demonstration area and part community space.

05/01/2012
Technical Nutrient Pavilion, Park 20|20

With half of its interior space dedicated to educational exhibits, William McDonough + Partners designed the Technical Nutrient Pavilion to directly engage the public through the 20|20 Experience Center that stimulates ideas and strengthens networks while showcasing the latest in Cradle to Cradle® and sustainable innovation.

04/26/2012
NASA Sustainability Base grand opening

Sustainability Base, NASA's first space station on earth, designed by William McDonough + Partners, opens at Moffett Field, California.

01/01/2012
Fox Vakanties, Park 20|20

Occupying a prominent site at the entrance to the William McDonough + Partners designed Park 20|20 development in the Netherlands, Fox Vakanties, a Dutch internet travel booking organization specializing in distant, exotic destinations, is the latest company to take up residence.

01/01/2012
Isola

William McDonough + Partners brings Cradle to Cradle thinking to Italy with Isola, a ten-story office building now home to Google Italia and Pandora.

11/11/2011
Bosch Siemens is the first building to open at Park 20|20

Bosch Siemens Hausgeräte (B/S/H/) brings five of the top brands in household appliances together under one roof in the first building completed at Park 20|20, The Netherland’s first Cradle to Cradle®-inspired development.

06/09/2011
Cradle to Cradle Day

Ed Lee, Mayor of San Francisco, declares June 9, 2011, Cradle to Cradle Day.

05/21/2010
The non profit Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute is established

William McDonough and Michael Braungart announce the formation of the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute.

01/01/2010
American University School of International Service

Serving as a symbol of the school’s tradition of global service, the LEED Gold certified building provides a vibrant setting for teaching, research and public dialogue. Design strategies, including on-site generation of renewable energy, Cradle to Cradle material specifications, and abundant fresh air and daylight, were developed and prioritized in close collaboration with the School’s students, faculty and staff to serve as pedagogical tools capable of demonstrating the highest degrees of environmental responsibility. Design by William McDonough + Partners

05/07/2009
McDonough is awarded the Rockwool Prize from the Danish Architecture Center

05/01/2009
Fuller Theological Seminary David Allan Hubbard Library

The building is designed to be a place that demystifies the concept of the library and honors the memory of David Allan Hubbard, theological scholar and past president of Fuller. Designed by William McDonough + Partners

01/01/2009
VMware Corporate Campus

Designed to enhance people’s connection to each other and the outdoors, this 29-acre site, located in Palo Alto’s prestigious Stanford Research Park, has beautiful vistas, mature trees and landscaping with generous setback. William McDonough + Partners led the design team through the arduous entitlements process with unprecedented success, due in large part to the design’s appropriateness of scale and sensitivity to the natural setting.

01/01/2009
Ecourban 22@

Ecourban is an ambitious mixed-use, urban redevelopment project in Barcelona led by William McDonough + Partners. The building is at the center of the urban renewal initiative in the Poblenou District—known as 22@, which plays on both its historic “22a” industrial zoning code and its high-tech future.

11/19/2008
McDonough keynotes the U.S. Green Building Council’s Greenbuild International Conference and Expo

06/08/2008
McDonough keynotes the AIA National Convention

04/30/2008
“Industrial Revolution Take Two,” a profile of McDonough, is published in Vanity Fair

Why can’t a building be as eco-friendly as a tree? What if the concept of waste didn’t exist? Having collaborated with such giants as Google, nasa, Ford, and Wal-Mart with his “Cradle to Cradle” philosophy, architect William McDonough wants to usher in a new Industrial Revolution. No sacrifices necessary, just smart design.

01/01/2008
Esquire magazine publishes “The Future of Design: Design for Living,” by McDonough

01/01/2008
McDonough becomes an International Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects and an honorary member of ASLA

01/01/2008
U.S. EPA awards McDonough the 21st Century Visionary Science Leadership Award

01/01/2006
The Bison Courtyard at Bear Street

How do humans become native to a place? The design for this innovative development responds to civilization’s encroachment on the Canadian Rockies National Park by using ecologically responsible development to “bring the park back in.” Designed by William McDonough + Partners

03/01/2005
Frito-Lay Jim Rich Service Center & Offices

The design of Frito-Lay’s primary distribution center in western New York showcases an array of innovative strategies and systems that reduce energy consumption dramatically, circulate and clean air and water, and serve as a prototype for efficient, intelligent, green commercial buildings. Designed by William McDonough + Partners

01/01/2005
Visitor Center, Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest

This LEED Platinum visitor center embodies the client’s mission of “finding new ways to connect nature with people’s everyday lives.” Nestled into a wooded ridgeline between the plant nursery and an open prairie, the center takes cues from the surrounding forest to become at once unique and at home in this place. Designed by William McDonough + Partners

10/15/2004
National Design Award

McDonough receives the National Design Award for outstanding achievement in environmental design.

07/13/2004
U.S. EPA Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award

McDonough receives the U.S. EPA Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award from President George W. Bush for his work with Shaw Industries.

01/01/2004
IBM Corporate Offices, Riekerpolder

These offices provide a healthy, comfortable, and flexible work environment for employees while knitting into the larger urban fabric. Two distinct yet integrated buildings wrap around a central terraced open-air courtyard, providing employees access to abundant amounts of daylight and fresh air, a configuration that connects people to the outdoors and engenders a dynamic, flexible workplace. Designed by William McDonough + Partners

10/23/2003
Benjamin Botwinick Prize for Ethical Practice in the Professions

McDonough is awarded the Benjamin Botwinick Prize for Ethical Practice in the Professions from Columbia University Business School.

06/01/2003
Woods Hole Research Center Gilman Ordway Campus

Scientists at the Woods Hole Research Center study forests and global carbon and nitrogen cycles to determine the effects of deforestation and human activities on the environment. William McDonough +Partner’s design for the new campus demonstrates the ability for modern building construction to harmonize with a habitable earth.

06/01/2003
Ford Truck Plant

The centerpiece of the 20-year revitalization of Ford’s historic River Rouge complex provides workers with abundant natural light and fresh air and restores native habitat to the site. Designed by William McDonough + Partners

04/22/2002
Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things is published

Architect William McDonough and chemist Michael Braungart present an integration of design and science that provides enduring benefits for society from safe materials, water and energy in circular economies and eliminates the concept of waste.

01/01/2002
The Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies at Oberlin College opens

Described by The New York Times as ‘the most remarkable of a new generation of college buildings” and by the U.S. Department of Energy as one of the 30 ‘milestone’ buildings of the 20th century, William McDonough + Partner’s design for The Lewis Center aspires to be as bountiful and effective as a tree.

09/01/2001
Aspect Communications World Headquarters

The goal of this corporate headquarters expansion in Silicon Valley was transformation—the renewal of a business and the concurrent conversion of a nondescript office building into a vibrant, connected community. Designed by William McDonough + Partners

09/01/2001
University of Michigan School of Natural Resources & Environment

The renovation of the Samuel Trask Dana Building, by William McDonough + Partners, offers an ecologically intelligent response that signals the SNRE’s approach to the challenges of the 21st Century while addressing the needs of a growing world-class science education and research department

01/01/2001
McDonough receives I.D. Forty Design Award from I.D. magazine

01/01/2000
Ford Rouge revitalization and landscape master plan is completed

The restoration of the Ford Rouge Center transformed the historic manufacturing complex into a model of 21st Century industrial sustainability.

01/01/1999
Nike European Headquarters

Nike has crafted one of the world’s most readily recognizable corporate identities through its emphasis on world-class athletic performance. William McDonough + Partners furthered Nike’s mission by bringing world-class innovation to the Nike European Headquarters.

10/01/1998
The Atlantic publishes “The NEXT Industrial Revolution” by McDonough with Michael Braungart

"Eco-efficiency," the current industrial buzzword, will neither save the environment nor foster ingenuity and productivity, the authors say. They propose a new approach that aims to solve rather than alleviate the problems that industry makes.

01/01/1997
McDonough becomes a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects

01/01/1997
Gap’s new headquarters opens (currently home to YouTube)

Designed by William McDonough + Partnesr as a build-to-suit for Gap Inc, 901 Cherry is now the home of YouTube LLC, illustrating that a building design as a flexible and adaptable organism can successfully adapt to new user groups.

01/01/1996
McDonough becomes the first and only individual to receive the U.S. Presidential Award for Sustainable Development

01/01/1995
01/01/1995
Herman Miller’s Greenhouse opens

Designed by William McDonough + Partners, the Herman Miller “GreenHouse” office and manufacturing facility has become a case study in how a sustaining approach can enhance the physical and mental health of its occupants—not to mention corporate productivity and profits.

08/01/1994
William McDonough is Dean of the School of Architecture at the University of Virginia

McDonough becomes Dean of the School of Architecture and Edward E. Elson Professor of Architecture at the University of Virginia (1994-1999). William McDonough + Partners moves to Charlottesville, Virginia.

01/01/1993
McDonough becomes a charter member of the U.S. Green Building Council

01/01/1993
McDonough is appointed Special Advisor to President Clinton (1993-1996) and the Presidential Council of Sustainable Development

06/03/1992
McDonough is the official representative of the American Institute of Architects at the Earth Summits in Rio de Janeiro and New York

01/01/1992
William McDonough Architects authors “The Hannover Principles: Design for Sustainability”

Prepared in 1992 by William McDonough Architects and Dr. Michael Braungart; commissioned by the City of Hannover, Germany, as design principles for Expo 2000, The World’s Fair.

01/01/1989
McDonough is a founding member of the American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment

01/01/1984
McDonough designs the first “green office” in New York, for the Environmental Defense Fund

01/01/1981
McDonough establishes his architecture firm in New York

Dedicating his practice to design that is native to place. “A building like a tree, and a city like a forest,” he says. “Why not?”

01/01/1976
While a graduate student at Yale, William McDonough builds the first solar heated house in Ireland

05/05/1973
William McDonough graduates from Dartmouth College

William McDonough graduates magna cum laude from Dartmouth College with an A.B. in Visual Arts and is elected to Phi Beta Kappa

Contact

700 EAST JEFFERSON STREET
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA 22902
+1 (434) 979 1111 MEDIA@MCDONOUGH.COM

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