George Kunihiro, FAIA, is a noted architect / educator. He is Professor Emeritus at Kokushikan University and Visiting Professor of Architecture at Tsinghua University in Beijing, PRC.

   George received Bachelor of Arts from the University of California / Berkeley and Master of Architecture from Harvard University Graduate School of Design where he studied under Professor Joseph Zalewski who worked in the Atelier of Le Corbusier, as well as Professor Gerhard Kallman, the architect for the Boston City Hall. In 1980, George began his private practice in San Francisco. Subsequently, he opened his office in Los Angeles and New York and designed numerous projects in the United States and in Japan. On the academic side, George assisted Tadao Ando, the Pritzker Prize-winning architect, in his academic activities teaching at Yale, Columbia and at Harvard GSD.

   In 1997, George moved his base to Asia. Since his arrival back in Tokyo, he has maintained an international architectural practice, and as an academic, continues his research on the modern heritage focusing in the Asia Region. From 2006 to 2016, he was a Vice Chairman of mAAN (modern Asian Architecture Network), an organization working to conserve and revitalize the 20th Century Asian heritage. With mAAN, George has organized international workshops on cultural and industrial heritage in China, Indonesia and Turkey.

   In 2013, George joined with Junko Kato, a global protocol consultant, to form T-Life Kankyo Lab. Co. Ltd, to expand his architectural practice with focus on the wide spectrum of sustainability addressing three basic needs of human being i.e. food, clothing and shelter.

   George has received numerous international recognitions including the Presidential Medals from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and from Federacion de Colegios de Arquitectos de Mexico in recognition of significant contribution to the field of architecture. He was also selected to the 11th Annual Space Design Review in 1992, and received the Japan Commercial Environmental Design Award in 1993.  In 2008, “2@5”, a residence in Tokyo, was selected in the JIA Architect of the Year Annual. In 2019, George and Ge Qintao (China), curators of the Longquan International Bamboo Biennale, was selected as the final four teams out of 274 nominees for the First Obel Award from Denmark.

   George has been active in promoting the profession and research in Asia.  From 2011 to 2012, He served as the President of the Architects Regional Council Asia (ARCASIA), an organization of 21 national institutes of architects in Asia.  In 2009, he was elevated to the College of Fellows of the AIA. In 2011, he was appointed Visiting Professor at prestigious Tsinghua University in Beijing, PRC, where was a Senior Visiting Scholar in 2013.  George served on the National Board and the Strategic Council of the AIA as the as International Director and a member of the Council from 2013-2015.  In 2012, he was appointed the Commissioner of the Longquan International Bamboo Architecture Biennale to coordinates the community design of a local village in Zhejiang Province, PRC. George has also been a member on various international juries and lectured widely on the subject of modern architecture, heritage revitalization and urban design. He has appeared as an expert commentator in many programs on the Japanese national television. George is a member of the Rotary Club International. He had held the position of Professor of Architecture at the Kokushikan University in Tokyo, Japan from 1998 until his retirement in 2022.  

   Since 2011, George has held a position as a Visiting Professor at the prestigious Tsinghua University in Beijing. In 2019, he was appointed to Special Invited Professor at the Meiji University and the Visiting Professor at Kyoto Arts and Crafts University in 2020.  Kunihiro has also held a teaching position at Harvard University, Yale University and Columbia University in the United States, Kyril and Methodius University in Macedonia and at the University of Saint Joseph in Macau SAR.

George has also served in numerous international architectural design juries including Japan, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Turkey, Lebanon and Italy.

 

【Curriculum Vitae】

1951         Born in Tokyo

1964        Move to the USA

1974        A.B. Environmental Design, University of California / Berkeley

1976        M.Arch, Harvard University Graduate School of Design

1983        George Kunihiro Architect (GKA), Los Angeles

1987        Opened New York office of GKA

1987        Visiting Critic, Yale University Graduate    School of Art and Architecture

1988-91  Adjunct Assistant Professor, New Jersey Institute of Technology

1988        Adjunct Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Architecture Planning  

                 and  Preservation, Columbia University

1990        Visiting Critic, Harvard University Graduate        School of Design

1997        Moved practice to Tokyo, Japan

1998        George Kunihiro Architect & Associates

1998        Associate Professor, Kokushikan University

2010        Completed Ph. D Course, University of Tokyo

2002-04   Ediror-in-Chief, Kenchikuka (Architect)

2003         Professor, Kokushikan University

2004-13   Construction Arbitrator, Machida City

2006-07   Department Head, Dept. of Architecture, School of Science and 

                 Engineering,  Kokushikan University (KU)

2006         Vice President, Japan Institute of Architects

                  Member, Organizing Committee, UIA 2011 World Congress of Architects

2006-07   Vice Dean, Student Affairs, KU

2009         Elevated to the College of Fellows, American     Institute of Architects (AIA)

2010         President, Architects Regional Council Asia       (ARCASIA)

2011~       Visiting Professor, Tsinghua University, Beijing, PRC

2013         Member of the National Board, AIA

2013         Commissioner, Longquan International   Bamboo Architecture Biennale

2014-15   Member, Strategic Council, AIA

2016         President, AIA Japan Chapter

2016-17   Director, AIA International Region

2019-21   Visiting Professor, Kyoto Arts & Crafts University

2019-21   Special Guest Professor, Meiji University

2020         Senior Advisor, AIA Japan Chapter

2020         Visiting Professor, Kyoto University of Arts         and Crafts

2020         Member, Editorial Board, Architecture Asia

2021-22   Director, AIA Japan

2022         Director, AIA International

2022-23   Advisor, ARCASIA

2022-       Founding Team/Advisor, ALIN International Inc.

2022        Professor Emeritus, Kokushikan University

【Awards】Award, 11th Annual Space Design Review (1992), Japan Commercial Design Association Award, (1993), JIA Architect of the Year Annual.　2＠５ [D Residence]（2008）, Presidential Medal, Federacion de Colegio de Arquitectos de la Republica Mexicana (2010), Presidential Medal, American Institute of Architects (2011), Richard Upjohn Fellowship, AIA (2013, 2015), Final Four, Obel Award (2019)