Wilhelm's father, music teacher and librarian Johann Carl Hübner (born 1790), was a native of Königsberg and later took the additional name von Hanno.
[2] Von Hanno was educated at Die Hamburgische Gesellschaft zur Beförderung der Künste und Nützlichen Gewerben in Hamburg between the years 1840–43.
Von Hanno designed Oslo's Holy Trinity Church (Trefoldighetskirken) (1858) and the first part of Christiania Station, in cooperation with Heinrich Ernst Schirmer.
Von Hanno was an accomplished draftsman who also maintained teaching activities, art lessons and field trips for students of architecture.
[5] In 1872 a set of stamps for Norway Post, designed by von Hanno, was released.