WILLIAM LESCAZE (1896 - 1969) was a Swiss-born American architect who was a pioneer of modernism in American architecture. Born in Switzerland and educated in architecture in Geneva and Zurich under first-generation Modernist Karl Moser, Lescaze moved to New York in 1920. He worked for some time at the architectural firm of Hubbell + Benes in Cleveland, Ohio, before setting up his own practice in New York City in 1923.

In 1929, Philadelphia architect George Howe invited Lescaze to form a partnership, which was named Howe + Lescaze. Within just a few weeks after joining forces, the duo began work on a large project for downtown Philadelphia. The resulting structure, completed in 1932, was the Philadelphia Savings Fund Society (PSFS) Building, which is today generally considered the first international Modernist skyscraper and the first International Style building of wide significance in the United States. After being apart of several other architectural feats across the US, Lescaze later taught industrial design at the Pratt Institute (1943-1945).

(Source: Hieronymus Objects + The Modern House; Image Credit: Wiki Commons)