Tributes have been paid from the architecture and design community to design and sustainability champion Lance Hosey, who passed away on August 27th at age 56. Hosey was the Chief Impact Officer at HMC Architects, and an acclaimed author and public speaker. In 2015, Hosey became one of only 30 people to have been named as a Fellow of both the American Institute of Architects and the U.S Green Building Council.

Throughout his career, Hosey wrote two books and hundreds of essays on design innovation. During his time at HMC, who he joined in June 2020, he oversaw the firm’s design and sustainability ethos, leading strategies to improve the impact of the firm’s work, and mentoring young designers. Before his time at HMC, Hosey was a Director at William McDonough + Partners, a principal at Gensler, and a Chief Sustainability Officer at both RTKL Associates (now Callison RTKL) and Perkins Eastman.

Beyond his core roles in practice, Hosey contributed significantly to the design industry and other initiatives through volunteer service, including roles at the AIA, USGBC, Berkley Center for the Built Environment, SXSW Eco, Savannah College of Art and Design School of Building Arts, and the EPA. His written contributions included two books (The Shape of Green and Women in Green) and hundreds of essays for outlets such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Huffington Post.

Responding to news of Hosey’s passing, the USGBC described him as “an inspiring force in the world of sustainability.” Meanwhile, Lake|Flato Architects director Heather Holdridge, who previously collaborated with Hosey, said “Lance has been a sustainable design leader at several firms, and we have spent the last 10+ years bothering each other for help and feedback on various sustainability initiatives we've each been working on. I always felt astounded by how quickly he responded and how generous he was with his time. He was an incredibly busy, sought-after person, but was deeply invested in mentoring the next generation and advocating for more female leaders in our profession.”

Before his death, Hosey provided a special narration for a short film created by HMC for the 2021 AIA Film Challenge, called “Building for Bees” which you can watch above. Hosey also led the design for the project featured in the film, the Honeybee Discovery Center in Orland, CA. “He often said that it's one of those projects that perfectly aligns with HMC's mission to make a positive impact,” said Bruce Boul, Communications Director at HMC Architects, reflecting on Hosey and the film. “His vision of impactful design is embodied in this project which is set to achieve net-zero energy, net-zero water, LEED Platinum, and full Living Building Challenge certification, becoming not only a model of sustainability for the region but also one of the highest-performing buildings in the world.”

In a statement on behalf of HMC Architects following Hosey’s passing, Boul wrote: “Lance’s time with us at HMC was ephemeral. His impact, monumental. In just 14 months, he showed us a fleeting glimpse of what the future looked like. And it was epic.”

“He pushed us to do better. Be better. To explore new ways to improve the impact of design: socially, economically, and environmentally. To cast off trends and focus on the idea that a building looks the way it does because it works the way it does. To design buildings and communities that are not just good-looking but good for us. And what we consider to be good design could become less about what designers like, and more about what makes us all healthier and happier.

 “His legacy will be felt at HMC for many years to come because he shifted the culture of design and the way we approach our projects. He excited our spirit and stirred our minds.”

You can learn more about Hosey, and his contribution to the profession and built environment, through his personal website here.