CCNY Career Achievement Award

By William Gati

For as long as he can remember, William Gati loved to build things. As a child, his play was focused on building blocks, Legos, Erector sets, model airplanes—anything that would feed his unceasing curiosity about how things were built.
His curiosity and natural ability to put things together led him to discover, at age 15, his passion to become an architect. That same year he enrolled in a pre-engineering program at Newtown High School in Queens. After graduating from high school in 1977, Bill signed up for the architectural program offered at the City College of New York, where he promptly made the Dean’s list. In his junior year, he designed the solar building of a terraced student housing project for NYU that utilized underground thermal passive heating and cooling principles. This won him an American Institute of Architects (AIA)Student Design Award. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Architecture in 1980 and a Bachelor of Architecture cum laudein 1982, both from CCNY.
Immediately upon graduation, Gati became involved in CCNY’s new Architectural Alumni organization, serving as vice president for its first five years of operation (1984-1989). During that time he sat on the Founding Board and helped make the foundation what it is today.
Over the years, Bill went on to play a major role on many architectural boards and committees, among them the American Institute of Architects of New York State (AIANYS) where from 2003-2006 he organized events and lobbied for architects in Albany and Washington, D.C. He then became a member of AIANYS’ convention committee and led the organizing of two successful state conventions. One of them, the Solar Design Convention, won an AIA Award for Excellence in 2006. He also served as Vice President of the AIA Queens Chapter from 2003-2004 and then as President from 2005-2006. While there, he advocated strongly for Queens architects and gave them a strong voice in the community.
Bill is generous in using his gifts to help the community. An example is his involvement with FEMA in 1980: he surveyed bomb shelters in Buffalo while the country was still in the midst of the Cold War. Before venturing out on his own in 1987, he also worked on the exterior restoration of New York City’s Municipal and Government landmark buildings.

From there he moved to Richmond Hill where he began designing house additions and small commercial projects. He won the respect of the community and became principal and founder when he opened his own business, Architecture Studio, in 1988. All the while, he continued to help other budding architects by teaching at the New York Institute of Architecture in Old Westbury from 1985-1990.
Bill has been recognized by the Queens and Bronx Builders Association with many design awards for his projects in residential additions, commercial interiors and restoration work. He is now working on an adaptive re-use of a Long Island City factory (150,000 sf)from manufacturing to artist studios. Another project in preliminary design is a major addition to a trade school in Jamaica, Queens. Also, a new multi-family building on Vernon Blvd., LIC, Queens with views of the East River is nearing completion.

Bill’s work continues with a major focus is on the historic and design aspects of architecture. He is registered to practice in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. In addition to his work, he impacts the community by leading His work continues to impact the community in a wide continues to enjoy his work, leads architectural tours and mentors our future architects

Bill Gati’s work continues to impact the community in a variety of important ways. As an educator, he leads engaging architectural tours and mentors our future architects. As an architect, his work carries our community forward in new and creative directions. As a member of our professional organizations, he is helping shape the future of our work as architects.

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