About the Author

Segene Park

Architect & Urban Planner at Nikken Sekkei | American Institute of Architects (AIA) International 2025 First Vice President-elect, 2026-27 President-elect, 2023-24 Secretary, Board of Directors since 2022, Chair of 2022 AIA International Spring Conference, Chair of Communications & PR Committee | AIA Japan 2021 President, Board of Directors since 2017, Chair of Design Awards since 2022 | Urban Land Institute (ULI) Japan UrbanPlan Trainer

An accomplished Architect and Master Planner with a distinguished career at Epstein, Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill (SOM), currently based at Nikken Sekkei in Tokyo. Mr. Park's projects have been prominently featured in Architectural Record, ArchDaily, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and other esteemed publications, earning numerous awards. Noteworthy achievements include designing a 354m-tower in Russia showcased at the Venice Biennale, representing Russia's modern architecture. His leadership at Nikken Sekkei has earned multiple international competition awards and four major Architecture and Urban Planning Awards in Moscow, recognized among 1,513 nominated residential complexes by over 400 independent experts. With extensive expertise in architectural design, urban planning, and firm leadership, he has successfully overseen complex global projects across diverse sectors, including residential buildings, offices, hotels, museums, convention centers, high-rise and super-tall structures, sustainable design, interior design, TOD, smart cities, and landscape architecture. Beyond his architectural and master planning accomplishments, Mr. Park has been a keynote speaker at the United Nations High-level Political Forum (HLPF) and a panelist at the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Asia Pacific Summit highlighting his significant influence in global architectural discourse. He has also lectured at various architecture and urban planning conferences in APEC countries and served as an instructor and critic for ULI Japan's UrbanPlan Program for the universities such as Waseda, Meiji, Tsukuba, Nihon in Japan, as well as KAIST in Korea.

"I started this blog after an inspiring interview with a leading Korean journalist. It motivated me to share my professional journey, insights, and experiences. Through this blog, I hope to connect with a broader audience by reflecting on the evolving landscapes of our built environment and nature, and how design impacts the world around us."