Background
William B. Faville was born in 1866 at San Andreas, California, United States.
William B. Faville was born in 1866 at San Andreas, California, United States.
He completed a two-year course at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
in Buffalo entered the office of Green & Wicks to serve an apprenticeship in architecture.In 1895 went to New York to begin his career in the office of McKim, Mead & White, and continued to work three years. During that time he made the acquaintance of Walter D. Bliss of San Francisco and the two young men became friends. Having decided to start practice for themselves, they left New York in 1898 and later in the year opened an office in San Francisco, where in the course of time they acquired a reputation as one of the leading firms in northern California.
Early in the century Bliss & Faville were commissioned to prepare plans for the St. Francis Hotel. One of the firm's important achievements, the structure erected in 1904 was partially destroyed in the catastrophic earthquake and fire of 1906, but was later rebuilt and enlarged. Other outstanding works designed and built under the firm's supervision include the follow¬ing buildings: University Club; Balboa Building, 593 Market Street; Bank of California, 1908; Bank of Italy Building (won in a competition); Masonic Temple, 1913; Southern Pacific Building, 1917; Liverpool, London & Globe Insurance Building; the Matson Building; Children’s Hospital, and the adjoining Training School for Nurses; Presbyterian Hospital and Orphanage; Diocesan House of the Episcopal Bishop; the State Building (won in a competition) completed 1926; all in San Francisco. Bliss & Faville were also architects for a number of public buildings in Oakland, including the Prescott School, the Public Library and the Oakland Hotel.
At the Pan-Pacific Expositon of 1913 in San Francisco, Mr. Faville was identified with the main features of the Fair and the development of the great enclosing walls, and under the firm name prepared plans for the Palace of Education and the Varied Industries Building.
In 1925 the partnership of many years was terminated, and in the later phase of his career Mr. Faville carried on his work alone.
A prominent member of the profession in California, he was elected to the old San Francisco Chapter in 1910, and four years later was made a Fellow of the Institute. He won national recogniton in 1922 on being chosen President of the American Institute of Architects, and served with honor in that high office for two years.