William J. Martin (Bill) is an architect and community planner focused on sustainable high performance resilient and energy efficient design configurations using cultural vernacular expression.
Bill was educated at Carnegie Mellon University ('81-'84) in Pittsburgh, PA and Pratt Institute, School of Architecture ('84-'88) in New York City. While at Carnegie Mellon, he studied Architecture and Managerial Economics. At Pratt Institute, he studied architecture and its relationship to the economics of real estate development and received his Architecture Degree with Honors (B Arch 1988). Bill started the WJM Architect firm over 30 years ago and has designed and consulted on a wide variety of building types.
An early adopter of technical advances, Bill was one of the first architects in New Jersey to obtain a Revit license in 2002. He was also one of the first architects in New Jersey to have a website in 1995.
Bill designed the First Certified LEED Platinum home in suburban NJ. Completed in 2009, this was the First Platinum level LEED home in Bergen County. This home was also the first home to achieve compliance with New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program™ New Jersey Climate Choice Home standards.
As a result of that project, in 2011, Bill received an AIA NJ COTE Top Ten Green Projects MERIT AWARD for the project which was entitled “Knight on a Chessboard.”
In 2020, Bill was the recipient of the inaugural AIA Architects League Community Service Award. This was presented for distinguished service to the community for leading the Westwood Zoning board as it’s chairperson for over 25 years. His service contributed to the NJ Chapter of the American Planning Association’s designation of Westwood NJ as a “Great Place in NJ 2019” for a great downtown.
In 2021, Bill was recognized by the AIA Architects League for his decades long commitment to Professional Service and was presented with the Anton Vegliante Award. The Vegliante Award is the highest accolade that can be bestowed onto a member of the Architects League. It is presented to Architects who distinguish themselves for their contribution to the advancement of the profession.
Bill is a tireless advocate for architects on social media and leads the AIA NJ Public Awareness Committee as Co-chairperson. He is considered a social media influencer by AIA National and is regularly consulted by local media outlets. He has been interviewed by CNBC, Fox News, MSNBC, NPR, and the Today Show regarding historical design trends.