Takeshi Kamiya Named Global Director of Urban Design & Planning

Overland Partners, an architecture, master planning, and urban design firm based in Texas, announced the appointment of Takeshi Kamiya, AIA, LEED AP, as its Global Director of Urban Design & Planning. Kamiya will lead the firm’s efforts to plan and design sustainable and resilient projects that enhance human flourishing for communities worldwide.  

Takeshi Kamiya is a highly respected architect and urban designer whose work reflects a deep understanding of the complex social, economic, historic, and environmental factors that shape urban development,” said Overland President Adam Bush, AIA. “He has worked on some of the most ambitious and innovative projects in recent years and will allow Overland to bring his thoughtful expertise to our diverse portfolio of clients around the world while advancing our footprint in the NYC area and internationally. 

Kamiya is an architect and urban designer known for creating large-scale master plans across the globe for urban environments, downtown and entertainment districts, educational and corporate campuses, waterfront redevelopments and sports entertainment venues. His designs reflect an enthusiasm for exploration and a harmonious balance between people, society, and the environment. He applies science to ensure projects are realistic and buildable, and then executes with art for designs that are undeniably beautiful. The value Kamiya places on the importance and interplay of science and art has resulted in memorable places that are responsible, viable and loved by people. 

I am excited to join Overland, as our shared commitment to producing inspiring and impactful work aligns with my personal design philosophy.

Overland is a global architectural, master planning, and urban design firm with 90 professionals to serve clients across the U.S. and around the world.  Recognized for its ability to blend technology, materials, art, and craft, Overland creates places that prioritize environmental sustainability, foster well-being, and lead to measurable human transformation. 

As Overland’s Global Director of Urban Planning & Design, based in NYC, Kamiya will create and execute design strategies that encourage collaboration, innovation, and creativity, while also advocating for sustainability and equitable practices through urban design, master planning, and architecture. 

While at Cooper Robertson, Kamiya gained recognition for his involvement in the Hudson Yards Master Plan, one of the most impactful urban master plan projects in the U.S. The 340-acre Hudson Yards mixed-use development has quickly evolved into a new, vibrant community on Manhattan’s west side. Kamiya has also contributed to the Central Delaware Master Plan, which aimed to transform Philadelphia’s Central Delaware River waterfront into a dynamic and diverse mixed-used community, establishing a new gateway to the river’s edge while seamlessly integrating the thriving city. Kamiya’s experience in higher education is represented across several of the country’s top-ranked private and public universities on a range of diverse campus master planning initiatives that include Caltech, Georgetown, Pratt Institute, Stony Brook University, University of Miami, and University of California at Santa Cruz.  

Kamiya has also worked on projects in his home country of Japan, including the Hokkaido Ballpark, designed for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters baseball team, during his time at architecture firm HKS, Inc. The ballpark features a traditional Hokkaido-style gable roof, a massive glass wall beyond the outfield, and a retractable roof, cultivating the natural turf field. The ballpark is surrounded by 80-acres of land. The first of its kind in Japan, Kamiya believes it will transform sports and entertainment projects around the world.  

Born and raised in Japan, Kamiya developed a passion for exploring how architecture shapes a city’s identity, while studying as an undergraduate. To further his understanding of urban design, he traveled to New York City and completed the graduate program in architecture at Pratt Institute, a college known for its commitment to craft, sustainability and social responsibility in design.