William Adam

This article is about Bill Adam, the architect. For the trumpet pedagogue, see William Adam (trumpeter).

William Adam (October 30, 1689 – June 24, 1748) was a Scottish architect and builder, born in Maryburgh, Fife, Scotland. He was the father of Robert Adam, James Adam and William Adam (Jr). He turned his father's building firm in Kirkcaldy into Scotland's largest construction and contracting enterprise of the time.

In 1728 Adam became Clerk and Storekeeper of the King's Works in Scotland, and from 1730 Mason to the Board of Ordnance in North Britain. The latter position brought him large contracts for military fortifications following the 1745 Jacobite Rising, including Fort George near Inverness.

Adam used a wide variety of sources for his designs, often reminiscent of Continental Baroque, as well as Gibbs and Vanbrugh. His best known works are Hopetoun House and Duff House in Banff. He only built one church - Hamilton Old Parish Church in 1734. His work with Roger Morris on Inveraray Castle, developing and modifying an original design by Vanbrugh, provides an early example of Gothic Revival architecture.

From 1727 he planned to publish a book, but his Vitruvius Scoticus, featuring most of his buildings, was only published in 1812 by his grandson.