Mikyoung Kim FASLA (2015)
The Impact of Human-Centered Design
Back to WID Award of Excellence recipients.
Biography
Mikyoung Kim is an award-winning international designer who brings innovative ideas to the urban landscape. She is known for culturally significant designs that serve as a powerful tool to celebrate the beauty of the collective human experience. Mikyoung’s diverse background in design and sculpture has shaped her body of work, blurring the boundaries between landscape architecture and environmental art.
Full Biography
Mikyoung Kim FASLA
Founder & Design Director, Mikyoung Kim Design
Women in Design Award of Excellence, 2015 winner
What impact can interaction with the natural world have on our everyday lives? What impact can interaction with the natural world have on our everyday lives? How can design be focused more holistically on neighborhood health and well-being? In Mikyoung’s work as the Founding Principal of Mikyoung Kim Design, as well as an educator and practitioner, this is a question she has been passionate about throughout her more than two decade long career.
How can design be focused more holistically on neighborhood health and well-being? In Mikyoung’s work as the Founding Principal of Mikyoung Kim Design, as well as an educator and practitioner, this is a question she has been passionate about throughout her more than two decade long career.
In her projects, Mikyoung's work begins by asking the question "Who are we designing for and how do we celebrate their voice?" Through an empathetic approach that integrates public input in all phases of creative design, she is inspired by the unique aspirations of the community. Each project reflects the complex cultural identity of its neighborhood, creating civic spaces that celebrate the transforming nature of the cities, both culturally and ecologically.
As part of her firm's interest in health and well-being, social infrastructure and connectivity are important aspects of their design ethos. Sociological and psychological evidence shows that such socio-ecological transformations normalize our bodily functions while allowing us to feel more connected with our peers. From clinical institutions to mixed-use developments, her team has brought this expertise about human resiliency to the forefront of their work.
By integrating ecological and human restoration into the everyday experience within varied, diverse communities and neighborhoods, her team is focused on finding innovation in sustainable design to improve the city for future generations.
