William
Crutcher RossAIA
(1930–2011)
Ross was born in Clanton AL. He graduated from Phillips High School in Birmingham, then attended Auburn University in 1949 for two years, then was drafted into the Air Force for three years in the Korean War. He finished up at Auburn with an architecture degree in December 1958 and went to work for Paul Rudolph in Sarasota FL. Ross recalled the sliding glass door was invented in Paul Rudolph's office. Upon arrival, however, there was not enough work in that office. So Ross, with Rudolph's blessing, worked for former Rudolph architect Bill Rupp in Sarasota then Robert Wielage in Tampa. Ross returned to Alabama, got married, and got a job offer from Hugh Stubbins. He passed that up to move to Charlotte and work for Alan Ingram (six months), a few months for J. Norman Pease (his classmate at Auburn), about a year for Murray Whisnant and Charles Wheatley, and about a year for A. G. Odell. Ross went on his own in September 1963 and had an office on Brevard Court -- for which he won a 1971 AIANC Award of Merit. He taught Architecture at Central Piedmont Community College from 1973-1975 and from 1975-1979 as visiting faculty for the then-new UNC-Charlotte College of Architecture. He is credited with starting the successful Fourth Ward neighborhood in central Charlotte as Chair from 1977- 1979, taking it from 12 to 4000 residents in just a few years. In addition to houses, Ross designed many hotels and literally hundreds of condominiums. His most famous hotel is the landmark 1974 Myrtle Beach Hilton, below. He was vigorous and active in architecture into his 80s and was a generous early supporter of NCModernist.
Ross discusses the Felts House, the Karro House, the Sandy Bluff project, the Gaylord House, and more.
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Sources include: Crutcher Ross; Renee Battle; Gail Jodon; Alan Ingram.