Sustainable Architecture & Heritage Design with Wakako Tokunaga

Join us for an exhibition talk with Wakako Tokunaga, founder of WAK TOK Architects and former project architect at Shigeru Ban Architects!
About this Event


This event is free and open to the public.
Registration is required.
Doors open at 6:00 PM.
Lectures begin at 6:30 PM and run approximately 45–60 minutes, followed by a Q&A session.


Exhibition Talk | Sustainable Architecture & Heritage Design with Wakako Tokunaga

Presented by the Japan Information & Culture Center, Embassy of Japan

In this program, Wakako Tokunaga, founder of WAK TOK Architects and former project architect at Shigeru Ban Architects, will discuss the influence of Japanese architectural design philosophy on her DC-based practice, particularly its emphasis on sustainability and respect for the natural world.

Join us for a conversation with Wakako Tokunaga, founder of WAK TOK Architects and former project architect at Shigeru Ban Architects. Drawing on her experience working with Ban in Tokyo and building her own practice in the Washington metro area, Tokunaga will reflect on the influence of Japanese architectural philosophy on her work today.

During the talk, Tokunaga will discuss the Japanese concept of mottainai (もったいない), and how this anti-waste ethos has influenced Ban’s usage of paper tubes and her own practice of repurposing pre-existing structures and demolished materials. Through this lens, Tokunaga will explore broader Japanese design traditions, including the influence of architects like Tadao Ando and a shared reverence for the integration of green spaces and the natural world.

About the Speaker

Wakako Tokunaga

Wakako Tokunaga is the founder and principal of WAK TOK architects, a licensed full-service architecture studio based in Takoma Park, Maryland. The studio offers innovative and authentic design solutions in response to each client’s unique needs and values, with an enduring goal of celebrating the art of everyday living through mindful design.

Wakako is a registered architect, a member of the American Institute of Architects and the National Organization of Minority Architects, NCARB certified, and a LEED Accredited Professional, with 30 years of experience leading internationally award-winning projects. Prior to founding WAK TOK architects in 2007, she worked as a project architect at globally recognized firms including Shigeru Ban Architects, Suzane Reatig Architecture, and RTKL Associates, Inc.

Originally from Tokyo, Japan, Wakako now resides in Takoma Park, Maryland, where she continues to lead the studio’s work through a thoughtful balance of simplicity, nature, and functionality.