James Hoban's White House design - Maryland Historical Society After George Washington dismissed French engineer and architect L’Enfant for insubordination, the design of the White House and Capitol would be determined by separate architectural competitions in 1792. James Hoban, an Irish-born and trained architect then living in Charleston, South Carolina, won the design competition for the White House. Born in Kilkenny, Ireland about 1758, Hoban immigrated to the United States and worked as an architect and builder in Philadelphia and Charleston from 1785 until his move to the nation’s capital in 1792. He spent the rest of his life in Washington and became a prominent figure in the building trades and served as a member of the City Council from 1802-1831. He died in Washington City in 1831.