Walter L. Wilson, FAIA, was the Principal Architect for Milwaukee County for over two decades, overseeing a team of architects, engineers and technical professionals responsible for the design and maintenance of over 800 public facilities. His work has shaped judicial, cultural, mental health, correctional, recreational and transportation infrastructure, leaving a lasting impact on the community. Before his tenure at Milwaukee County, Wilson founded The Wilson Firm, Ltd., Architects and Engineers, serving as CEO for 16 years. In retirement, he continues to contribute to the profession through DESIGN 4U, an architectural consulting firm focused on owner representation and programming. He was the second African American graduate of OSU’s SOA and the first to receive the Alpha Rho Chi Medal.
Wilson served as President of AIA Southeast Wisconsin and as a Director-At-Large on the AIA Wisconsin Board of Directors. In 2019, he played a key role in establishing the Wisconsin Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects and became the first president of WiscoNOMA. In 2020, he received the AIA Wisconsin (AIAW) Golden Award, the highest award bestowed upon one of its AIAW members, and in 2024 he became the inaugural recipient of the Wisconsin NOMA President’s Award.
He has taught as an adjunct professor at UWM School of Architecture and Urban Planning (SARUP), and taught engineering subjects at Oklahoma State University School of Architect (SOA) and ITT Bailey Institute of Technology in St. Louis, MO.
He holds a double major: Bachelors of Architectural Engineering and Architectural Design from Oklahoma State University, in Stillwater.