Edward Holien and William Buckley (Firm)

Edward Obert Holien was born on April 28, 1902, in St. Paul Minnesota. As an architect, he built a prestigious career, both academically and professionally. At the University of Minnesota, Holien received a B.S. in Architecture, and completed an M. A. in Architecture at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Holien was Instructor of Architecture at North Dakota State University, from 1923-1925. In 1926, he received the Moorman Domestic Traveling Scholarship from the University of Minnesota, and traveled extensively through Europe, becoming a finalist for the Paris Prize competition in the same year. Edward Holien began his professional career in 1926 working for Collens & H.C. Pelton in Riverside, New York. At the same time, he continued teaching and was a design critic at New York University. From 1930 to 1932, Holien designed for Reinhard & Hosmeister of Radio City, New York, where he helped design the original Rockefeller Center. Relocating to Denver, Colorado, Edward Holien was chief draftsman and designer for Burnham Hoyt, 1933-1942. His tenure there was interrupted by a one year temporary Professorship in Architecture at the University of Minnesota, 1934-1935. In 1942, he spent a year as chief architect for G. Meredith Musick in Alliance, Nebraska, where he helped design the neighboring airbase. Returning to Denver in 1943, he worked for John K. Monroe as chief draftsman and designer. Finally settling in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1944, Edward Holien became an associate in the firm of John Gaw Meem, Hugo Zehner and Associates. There he mastered both the Spanish Pueblo Revival Style and the Territorial Style popular in New Mexico with the same technical precision and passionate attention to detail as was practiced by his mentor John Gaw Meem. By 1949, Holien was made a full partner and chief designer in the firm. On Meem's retirement in 1959, Holien formed a partnership with William Buckley. Edward Holien, known as "Bung" to his friends because of his small stature, died on March 24, 1967.

William R. Buckley was born on February 12, 1918 in Chicago, Illinois. He followed in the footsteps of his father, George H. Buckley, who was an architect by profession. Buckley graduated from the University of Illinois in 1936 with a B.S. in Architecture. He worked as a draftsman in his father's Chicago firm, 1940-1944. Following that, he worked for a year at the architectural office of Wilson & Co., also in Chicago. Back at his father's firm, Buckley became a junior partner, remaining in the Chicago area until 1948. Moving to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1948, Buckley found work as a draftsman for architect W.C. Kruger. The turning point in his career came later in 1948 when he was employed by the firm Meem, Zehner, Holien & Associates. John Gaw Meem, the chief architect of the firm, built his architectural philosophy around the preservation and revival of both the Spanish and Pueblo styles indigenous to New Mexico. Buckley, whose wife Madge G. Buckley was also an architect, became chief draftsman in Meem's firm in 1952. After the retirement of Hugo Zehner, he was later offered a junior partnership. He stayed with the firm until Meem retired in 1959, when Buckley and Edward Holien partnered to take over the business. Holien and Buckley made major contributions to building designs at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico from 1961 to 1967. These included the Fine Arts Center (1961), and plans for the Student Health Center and University College, both completed between 1966-1967. When partner and chief designer Edward Holien died in 1967, Buckley continued on in their Santa Fe office for several years. William R. Buckley died in Santa Fe, New Mexico on April 5, 2000, at the age of 82.

From the description of Holien and Buckley architectural drawings and plans, 1956-1989 (bulk 1960-1973) (University of New Mexico-Main Campus). WorldCat record id: 53115360

Edward Obert Holien was born on April 28, 1902, in St. Paul Minnesota. As an architect, he built a prestigious career, both academically and professionally. At the University of Minnesota, Holien received a B.S. in Architecture, and completed an M. A. in Architecture at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Holien was Instructor of Architecture at North Dakota State University, from 1923-1925. In 1926, he received the Moorman Domestic Traveling Scholarship from the University of Minnesota, and traveled extensively through Europe, becoming a finalist for the Paris Prize competition in the same year.

Edward Holien began his professional career in 1926 working for Collens & H.C. Pelton in Riverside, New York. At the same time, he continued teaching and was a design critic at New York University. From 1930 to 1932, Holien designed for Reinhard & Hosmeister of Radio City, New York, where he helped design the original Rockefeller Center.

Relocating to Denver, Colorado, Edward Holien was chief draftsman and designer for Burnham Hoyt, 1933-1942. His tenure there was interrupted by a one year temporary Professorship in Architecture at the University of Minnesota, 1934-1935. In 1942, he spent a year as chief architect for G. Meredith Musick in Alliance, Nebraska, where he helped design the neighboring airbase. Returning to Denver in 1943, he worked for John K. Monroe as chief draftsman and designer.

Finally settling in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1944, Edward Holien became an associate in the firm of John Gaw Meem, Hugo Zehner and Associates. There he mastered both the Spanish Pueblo Revival Style and the Territorial Style popular in New Mexico with the same technical precision and passionate attention to detail as was practiced by his mentor John Gaw Meem. By 1949, Holien was made a full partner and chief designer in the firm. On Meem's retirement in 1959, Holien formed a partnership with William Buckley.

Edward Holien, known as “Bung” to his friends because of his small stature, died on March 24, 1967.

William R. Buckley was born on February 12, 1918 in Chicago, Illinois. He followed in the footsteps of his father, George H. Buckley, who was an architect by profession. Buckley graduated from the University of Illinois in 1936 with a B.S. in Architecture. He worked as a draftsman in his father’s Chicago firm, 1940-1944. Following that, he worked for a year at the architectural office of Wilson & Co., also in Chicago. Back at his father's firm, Buckley became a junior partner, remaining in the Chicago area until 1948.

Moving to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1948, Buckley found work as a draftsman for architect W.C. Kruger. The turning point in his career came later in 1948 when he was employed by the firm Meem, Zehner, Holien & Associates. John Gaw Meem, the chief architect of the firm, built his architectural philosophy around the preservation and revival of both the Spanish and Pueblo styles indigenous to New Mexico. Buckley, whose wife Madge G. Buckley was also an architect, became chief draftsman in Meem's firm in 1952. After the retirement of Hugo Zehner, he was later offered a junior partnership. He stayed with the firm until Meem retired in 1959, when Buckley and Edward Holien partnered to take over the business.

Holien and Buckley made major contributions to building designs at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico from 1961 to 1967. These included the Fine Arts Center (1961), and plans for the Student Health Center and University College, both completed between 1966-1967. When partner and chief designer Edward Holien died in 1967, Buckley continued on in their Santa Fe office for several years.

William R. Buckley died in Santa Fe, New Mexico on April 5, 2000, at the age of 82.

Hooker, Van Dorn. Only In New Mexico: An Architectural History of the University of New Mexico; The First Century. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2000.

From the guide to the Holien and Buckley Architectural Drawings and Plans, 1956-1989, 1960-1973, (University of New Mexico, Center for Southwest Research)