William Lim
Founder and Managing Director
As Founder and Managing Director of CL3 Architects Ltd. (CL3), William Lim brings over 20 years of experience to his projects. An acclaimed architect and artist, William graduated from Cornell University and has spent the past two decades at the forefront of architecture, culture and art.
With a keen appreciation of humanities and art, William’s designs are distinctive and contemporary. “Architects have a social obligation to improve urban environments,” explains William. “Architecture is about people. I always feel that architects are only doing part of the job—the rest is really shaped by the occupant using the space. We treat every project as a unique challenge and pay attention to every single detail – from the architecture to the interior detailing-- to create human-oriented and quality designs with artistic value.”.
Since founding CL3 in 1992, William has established a notable presence on the global design scene. The studio’s diverse, award-winning portfolio includes architectural and interior projects for hotels, restaurants, retail, corporate, residences and art installation design.
William is also active in the art space with a focus on public art. Throughout his career he has held several solo exhibitions showcasing his public art installations, most notably the Lantern Wonderland 2003 & 2011, Venice Biennale’s International Architectural Exhibition in 2006 & 2010, as well as Hong Kong & Shenzhen Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture in 2007, 2009 and 2017. His works have been exhibited in Hong Kong, Chengdu, the United States and Holland. More recently, his signature piece, “West Kowloon Bamboo Theatre”, was awarded the Grand Award and Special Award for Culture in Design for Asia Award in 2013.
Committed to promoting culture and education, William is currently the Advisory Council Member of the College of Architecture, Art and Planning at Cornell University and a Member on the Asia Pacific Acquisition Committee for Tate. Closer to home, he is also among the Gallery Advisory Committee Members for The Asia Society Hong Kong Center and Museum Expert Advisers for the Hong Kong Museum.
Professional Qualifications
Massachusetts USA, Registered Architect
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, Registered Architect
The American Institute of Architects, Fellowship member
Hong Kong Institute of Architects, member
Hong Kong Architects Registration Board, Registered Architect
The Association of Architectural Practices Ltd., member
Hong Kong Designers Association, member
The Interior Design Association Hong Kong Ltd., member
National Administration Board of Architectural Registration, PRC Class I Registered Architect Qualification
Professional Achievements
Honorary Doctorate of Arts and Sciences - Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)
Master of Architecture - Cornell University, NY, USA (minor in Photography)
Bachelor of Architecture - Cornell University, NY, USA
Other Involvements
President of American Institute of Architects, Hong Kong 2003 & 2013
Co-chairman of Para/Site Art Space 2011 – 2013
Advisory Council Member of College of Architecture, Art and Planning, Cornell University.
Member of China Advisory Board, Cornell University
Member of Board of Trustees, Cornell University
Asia-Pacific Acquisitions Committee member of Tate Museum, UK
The Gallery Advisory Committee Members for The Asia Society Hong Kong Center
Board of Directors, Asia Art Archive
Museum Expert Advisers 2014-2020, Hong Kong Museum
Board Member, The Art Basel Cities Advisory Board 2016
Member of Economic Development Commission – Working Group on Manufacturing Industries, Innovative Technology, and Cultural and Creative Industries Government of The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region 2013-2017
Assistant Professor, Department of Architects, The University of Hong Kong
Guest Professor, Faculty of Art, Sichuan University
Chinese Design of the Year 2017
Honorary President of the Hotel Design Research Institute 2018-2020, International Ecological Environment Design Alliance