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Home My WebLink AboutWilliam W. CaudillN E W S R E L E A S E 25 June 1983 For Immediate Release WILLIAMW .CAUDILL,FAIA,CRSFOUNDER,DIES HOUSTON,TEXAS--William W . Caudill, FAIA, founder of CRS Group Inc ., died at his home of heart failure on Saturday, 25 June 1983 . He was 69 . An internationally respected architect, author and educator, Caudill served on the board of directors of CRS Group Inc ., the Houston-based international architecture, engineering, project management and construction firm . At the time of his death he was Director of CRS Research, a division of the CRS Group Inc . Caudill also served on the board of directors of Herman Miller, Inc ., a manufacturer of interior furnishings and components based in Zeeland, Michigan . Author of twelve books and hundreds of articles and research reports, Caudill's first book was written at the age of 26 . His books include Space for Teaching,Toward Better School Design,Architecture by Team, Architecture and You,A Bucket of Oil,From Infancy to Infinity,Memos from Russia,and Memos from Egypt . -more- CRS Group Inc.1177 West Loop SouthHouston, Texas 77027 CRSFOUNDERCAUDILL DIES Add 1 A native of Hobart, Oklahoma,Caudill obtained a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Oklahoma State University and a Master of Architecture degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology . Caudill held full professorships at Texas A&M University, where he founded the Architectural Division of the Texas Engineering Experiment Station ; and at Rice University, where he was Director of the School of Architecture from 1961 to 1969 and held that school's William Ward Watkin Chair of Architecture . He lectured frequently throughout the United States and abroad to students and practitioners, and served on numerous design juries . His significant contributions to architectural design, research, practice and education were recognized when he was named a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA). From 1979 to 1982 he also served on the AIA Board of Directors . -more- CRSFOUNDER CAUDILL DIES Add 2 A registered architect in 37 states, Caudill was the recipient of honorary degrees from Eastern Michigan University and Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara . In 1980 he was awarded the Llewelyn W . Pitts Award for his outstanding contributions to the field of architecture by the Texas Society of Architects . In 1969 the Governor of Texas appointed him one of the founding members of the Academy of Texas, comprised of distinguished leaders in contemporary Texas History . In 1978 the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture honored him with a gold medal . It was recently announced that Caudill will be inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame next fall, the only architect ever so honored . CRS was founded in 1946 by Caudill and John M . Rowlett in College Station, Texas . Caudill pioneered the concept of 'architecture by team' for professional practice, and this principle continues today . CRS, which has received over 300 awards for design excellence and innovation, is known for its international practice involving large complex projects -more- CRSFOUNDER CAUDILL DIES Add 3 including universities, convention and cultural centers, hotels, retail and industrial facilities, office buildings, hospitals, museums and defense projects . Beginning as a partnership in College Station, CRS today employs 1400 people worldwide . In 1972 the Architectural Firm of the Year Award was conferred upon CRS by the American Institute of Architects for excellence in design . Notable projects in which Caudill played a decisive design role include the prototype elementary school commissioned by LIFE magazine ; the Central High School in San Angelo, Texas ; the CRS Building in Houston, the recipient of design awards from Progressive Architecture and the Texas Society of Architects ; as well as the U .S . Embassy complex in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia . Other designs for which the firm is known are the Jesse H . Jones Hall for the Performing Arts in Houston ; the E .J . Thomas Performing Arts Hall in Akron, Ohio ; the Stephen C . O'Connell Activities Center at the University of Florida ; the Herman Miller Seating Plant in Holland, Michigan ; the Indiana Bell Switching Center in Columbus, Indiana ; the University of Petroleum and -more- CRS FOUNDER CAUDILL DIES Add 4 Minerals in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia ; Roy Larsen Hall at Harvard University ; the IBM Brance Office in Houston ; among others that evidence the longstanding commitment of CRS to energy-conservation, design excellence, functional and economical buildings, environmental sensitivity and, above all, humanistic architecture . At the age of 26, Caudill authored his first book, Space for Teaching, on functional, low cost, energy efficient school design . At the time he had never designed a school house, but the book intrigued educators and architects and became a guide for contemporary school design . At the time of his death he was completing the manuscript on his last book Memos : Singapore,Indonesia,Hong Kong,a journal recording his recent travels with his wife in Southeast Asia . He is survived by his wife, Aleen Harrison Caudill ; his daughter, Susan Kent Caudill of Dallas ; his son, William W . Caudill, Jr . of Houston ; his brother, Robert Caudill, and his sister, Dean Wilkes, both of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma . -more- CRSFOUNDER CAUDILL DIES Add 5 Memorial services will be private . Contributions should be directed to the William W . Caudill Memorial Fund at the School of Architecture at Rice University, P .0 Box 1892, Houston, Texas, 77001 . -30- Photo to accompany release Contact : Randle Pollock Communications Director (Office : 713-621-9600)