Nancy A. Takahashi

BSLA, M.Arch, MLA University of Virginia

Distinguished Lecturer

WEBSITE BIO
Since 1985, Ms. Takahashi has been teaching the first-year landscape studios, Dew Travel Studio to Barcelona, and the Eco-Tech Site Assembly course in the Department of Architecture and Landscape Architecture.
The design of school grounds has been the focus of her research since 1997. Her 1999 handbook ?Educational Landscapes: Developing School Grounds as Learning Places?, published by the Thomas Jefferson Center for Educational Design, proposes a new design process for creating school landscapes and improving the instructional value of school grounds. In 2003, Ms. Takahashi contributed chapters to the Virginia Department of Education?s first guidelines for public K-12 school grounds. School grounds projects include the Princeton Junior School in New Jersey (2000-03), a entry garden for the Village School in Charlottesville with Hays-Ewing Architects (2005-06) and the State Arboretum at UVA?s Blandy Farm Research Station. From 1999-2006, Ms. Takahashi chaired the University?s Arboretum and Landscape Committee, a faculty/ student advisory committee charged with exercising broad design oversight of the Grounds. She is currently the Principal in residence at UVA?s Hereford College, a 300 student residential community whose focus on sustainable initiatives is joining students and faculty fellows in experimental research projects such as an on-site mini-farm garden, and reusing the dining hall?s waste vegetable oil to fuel university vehicles.

Built works include Canal Basin Square Museum Park in Scottsville, Virginia with VMDO Architects which was awarded a 2005 Central Virginia AIA Honor Award; Old Michie Courtyard in Charlottesville (1995); Science Center Courtyard at University of Virginia at Wise (2003), and Hereford College at UVA with Williams/ Tsien and VMDO Architects (1992).