Hays, William Charles, 1873-1963

A member of the faculty at the University of California, Berkeley, Charles William Hays served as Dean of the School of Architecture from 1917-1919. Often collaborating with John Galen Howard, he designed buildings throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

Hays' architectural career began in Philadelphia in 1894. He moved to San Francisco in 1904, worked for the firm Howard & Galloway from 1906 to 1908, then began his own practice. In addition to his design work, Hays was a professor of architecture at UC Berkeley from 1906 to 1943. Among his many roles in the development of the UC campuses, Hays was the supervising architect for the UC Davis campus from 1918 to 1944, and chairman of the Buildings Location and Campus Development Committee for the UC Berkeley campus in the 1940s. He designed buildings for UC San Francisco, UC Davis, and UC Berkeley, including Giannini Hall and fraternity houses. Hays was a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and a charter member of the Beaux Arts Institute.

Biography

William C. Hays (1873-1963)

William Hays was born in Philadelphia in 1873 to parents Charles Henry and Helen Reeder Hays. He received his bachelor's degree in architecture in 1893 from the University of Pennsylvania. Upon graduation, Hays won a travelling fellowship that allowed him to complete his studies at the American Academy in Rome and in Paris. He also traveled around Europe and in Egypt during that time. In 1921 Hays married Elah Hale of Berkeley and the two had a son, Charles Harrison, and a daughter, Dale.

Hays' professional career started in Philadelphia, where he began practice in 1894. He moved to San Francisco in 1904, and was a member of the firm Howard & Galloway from 1906 to 1908. He began his own practice in 1908. In addition to his design work, Hays had a distinguished career as a professor of architecture at UC Berkeley. He taught from 1906 to 1943, and was the acting director of the school from 1917 to 1919. Among his many roles in the development of the UC campuses, Hays was the supervising architect for the UC Davis campus from 1918 to 1944, and chairman of Building Location and Campus Development for the UC Berkeley campus in the 1940s. He designed buildings for UC San Francisco, UC Davis, and UC Berkeley, including Giannini Hall and fraternity houses.

Hays was a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and a charter member of the Beaux Arts Institute. He authored various articles on architectural topics for the Architect and Engineer and other journals. Hays lived in Berkeley until his death in 1963 at the age of 89.