Ayumi is our multi-talented urban designer and landscape architect. Ayumi studied architecture and gained practical work experience as a landscape architect for three years in Japan. Experiencing projects from masterplanning through to creating street details inspired her to become an urban designer so she could work at the city level to help deliver attractive and vibrant communities. She travelled to the UK and developed her skills through an MSc in Urban Design and International Planning at the University of Manchester.
Ayumi’s interest in the build environment field has been cultivated since she was a child. She still remembers her excitement of walking in newly developed tube tunnels and exploring skyscrapers with her engineer parents! She is excited to make people-focused sustainable places by integrating a holistic approach from city-scale planning right down to detailed landscape design.
Favourite city and why?
Edinburgh and Kyoto are my favourite cities. I am obsessed with historical places because history cannot be made in the future! These two cities are particularly well-maintained and actively used and show us that well-designed cities create unique communities and remain attractive to people for the long term.
What do you do in your spare time?
I am curious and like to try new things. So, I have a lot of hobbies like reading, travelling, cooking, planting, yoga, cycling etc. I like to build knowledge through reading and gaining practical experiences through trips. Of course, I love to take care of my lovely dog Ash but now she is in Japan.
Quote to live by:
‘As long as you keep moving forward, you will not fall behind.’ came from a Japanese philosopher. This means a person cannot stick around the same place but only progress or retrogress, which always pushes me forward. Also, as a designer, I cherish the quote by Steve Jobs: ‘Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.’.
