My name is Kotomi and I am a recent UC Berkeley graduate with a major in architecture and a minor in Art History. Throughout my time in college my architecture education has taught me skills in design from critical thinking and the representation of ideas in two and three dimensions, the relationships between concept and object, and the practice physical making. Curating individual experiences in a space at a more personal level was what I enjoyed most about my architecture education. My current goal is to take these skills and bring it to my own design practice to spark emotional excitement to the people I design for.
But as an Art History minor, I also enjoyed research. In my senior year I also embarked on architecture research thesis on San Francisco Chinatown and had the honor of being awarded the Bancroft Library Prize. What I enjoyed most was the interdisciplinary approach in research and looking beyond my own physical design practice. I have also been passionate about studying the people and society we design for or the way visual culture shapes our identities through my art history curriculum. In the past I have also co-authored an article with MODEM (a design firm based in Amsterdam, Netherlands ) on spatial technologies and human memory. Please feel free to explore some of my writing and research as well!
Outside of design I also have a passion. Having grown up in Japan and in an international school most of my life has always made me a curious learner and cultivated my appreciation for culture. This meant traveling to Singapore and Korea for Model United Nations, volunteering to build houses for low-income families in Cambodia, and doing a summer UX internship in Belgium. Immersing myself in a new environment continues to shape how I seek new challenges. I hope to continue traveling seeking new adventures.
MODEM:
Memory is foundational to human existence; from shaping our identities, creating social links and cultivating human empathy. However, memories are fluid and human ability to remember is limited. With partnership with MODEM, I conducted research on recent developments of spatial computing technologies and how it has/ may come to change the way we retain important memories. Check out the article HERE!
Senior Architecture Thesis on San Francisco Chinatown:
In my final year architecture degree, I embarked on a senior-year Architecture history thesis on San Francisco Chinatown and was awarded the UC Berkeley Bancroft Library Prize
Beyond my design work, I am also a cafe connoisseur, museum hopper, climber and feel enriched by travel. I find these things go hand-in-hand with my design work as I am continually learning how design has impact across different cultures and influences the larger built environment
