June 18, 2025

The Hideo Sasaki Foundation announced today the winning teams for our 2025 Design Grants. The Design Grants are an annual competition to showcase projects that promote equity and empower local communities in Greater Boston and the Massachusetts Gateway Cities.

May 13, 2025

The Hideo Sasaki Foundation announced today the finalists for its seventh annual Design Grants program. These eight teams will pitch to a jury of experts on Thursday, May 29, 5:30-8:00 p.m. at Pitch Night, a public event. The Design Grants are an annual competition to showcase projects that support and drive interdisciplinary innovation and empower our local communities.

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Stay updated with the latest stories, news, and events.

April 2, 2025

Check out our newly released 2022-2023 Design Grants Research Report to learn more about our fourth cohort’s work, offering innovative solutions to address food resilience, access to childcare, environmental justice, community infrastructure, and gentrification, with an ongoing impact in Greater Boston and beyond.

June 20, 2024

The Sasaki Foundation announced today the winning teams for its 2023 Sasaki Foundation Design Grants. The Design Grants are an annual competition to showcase projects that support and drive interdisciplinary innovation and empower our local communities.

May 23, 2024

The Sasaki Foundation announced today the finalists for its sixth annual Sasaki Foundation Design Grants program. These seven teams will pitch to a jury of experts on Thursday, June 6, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at a public event sponsored by LeMessurier. The Design Grants are an annual competition to showcase projects that support and drive interdisciplinary innovation and empower our local communities.

March 28, 2024

We recently connected with Taylor Cain and Kim Lucas from 2023 Sasaki Foundation Design Grants project EarlyEducatorSpace 2.0. The project is a unique opportunity to bring together family childcare providers, families, neighbors, and affordable housing property managers in a way that expands access to childcare, creates opportunities for economic mobility for public housing residents, and enhances affordable housing spaces.

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October 20, 2025

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Future of Collaborative Design Symposium a Success

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October 20, 2025

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Future of Collaborative Design Symposium a Success

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Anna Scherling + Karolina Hac

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On Friday, October 3, 2025, the Hideo Sasaki Foundation hosted the Future of Collaborative Design Symposium at Sasaki’s Boston office, with a pre-convening at the Harvard Graduate School of Design the Tuesday evening prior.

Thank you to the 250+ individuals who joined us in exploring Hideo Sasaki’s enduring legacy of radical collaboration in design across both days. We are grateful to all our speakers and panelists for their insights and to our attendees for engaging in these important conversations about the past, present, and future of collaborative practice.

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Our pre-convening at the Harvard Graduate School of Design examined Hideo Sasaki’s influence on post-war American landscape architecture and his pioneering vision for an integrated, multidisciplinary design education at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Keynote speaker Gary Hilderbrand, Chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture at the Harvard GSD, explored how Hideo’s ideas were radical for his time and how his approach to solving complex problems created permeability between the GSD and Hideo’s firm. In the discussion that followed, panelists Stephen Gray, Grayscale Collaborative; Dennis Pieprz, Sasaki; Thaïsa Way, Dumbarton Oaks; Tao Zhang, Sasaki; and moderator Mary Anne Ocampo, Sasaki; joined Gary in reflecting on the meaning of Hideo’s legacy today.

Watch the pre-convening on the Hideo Sasaki Foundation’s YouTube page.

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Future of Collaborative Design Pre-convening panel at the Harvard GSD

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Morning keynote speaker Maurice Cox at 110 Chauncy

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At our day-long symposium, held in Sasaki’s Boston office, we saw designers, planners, municipal leaders, community organizations, and young professionals come together to explore the future of collaborative design through keynotes, panels, and workshops. 

Opening keynote speaker Maurice D. Cox, Emma Bloomberg Professor in Residence of Urban Planning and Design at the Harvard GSD, examined the intersection of architecture, design, and politics in equitable city development. He was followed by Marta Guerra and Margit Liander, associate principals at Sasaki, who shared how Hideo’s firm continues to lead with radical collaboration.

View Marta and Margit's slides.

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Our lunch panel brought together city leaders from Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville to discuss how municipalities are leading collaborative design initiatives. Diana Fernandez Bibeau, Deputy Chief of Urban Design at the Boston Planning Department; Luisa Oliveira, Director of Public Space and Urban Forestry at the City of Somerville; and Julie Wormser, Chief Climate Officer at the City of Cambridge; shared their work alongside moderator Tiffany Chu, Chief of Staff to Boston Mayor Michelle Wu.

link to slides

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Collaborative Design as World Building lunch panel at 110 Chauncy

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Future of Collaborative Design Symposium small session at 110 Chauncy

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Throughout the day, lightning talks and small sessions addressed critical questions about inclusive design practices, new technologies, community-led initiatives, and empowering the next generations of design professionals.

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Our Environment and Technology lightning talks examined what new expertise is required to design projects in 2025, with Ken Goulding, Sasaki; Nigel Jacob, RethinkAI; Allentza Michel, Powerful Pathways; and David Morgan, Suffolk Construction.

link to slides

Our Designers, Clients, and Communities lightning talks explored how the design process can include everyone as designers, with Gabriel Cira, ARCH CIRA; Meera Deean, City of Boston; Melissa Peters, City of Cambridge; Patricia Gruits, MASS Design Group; Heang Leung Rubin, CHIC Community Engagement; Chuyi Yin, Sasaki; and moderator Felicia Jiang, Sasaki.

link to slides

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Small session Q&A at 110 Chauncy

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Future of Collaborative Design Symposium reception at 110 Chauncy

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Our Implementing the Future small session shared how local organizations are empowering the next generation of design professionals, with Estefany Benitez, Hideo Sasaki Foundation; Neil Daniel, YouthBuild Boston; Taylor Johnson, Boston Society for Architecture; Beth Lundell Garver, Boston Architectural College; Taylor Powers, PowerCorpsBOS; and moderator Folajimi Bademosi, Hideo Sasaki Foundation.

link to slides

Our Building Community Power, Capacity, and Ownership small session discussed what radical collaboration looks like in today's political climate, with Caroline Ellenbird, Comunidades Enraizadas Community Land Trust; Lydia Lowe, Chinatown Community Land Trust; Minnie McMahon, Greater Boston Community Land Trust Network; Armani White, Reclaim Roxbury; and moderator Gabriel Ramos, Sasaki.

link to slides

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We wrapped up the day with a reception that created space for attendees to connect and discuss what they would like to take away from the symposium.

Thank you to all of our event sponsors: Sasaki, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Arielly Photography, Boston Society for Architecture, Boston Society of Landscape Architects, Reed Hilderbrand, Acentech, McNamara Salvia, Stimson, and Ummo.

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SEED interns design for six local nonprofits

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October 20, 2025

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Future of Collaborative Design Symposium a Success

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October 20, 2025

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Future of Collaborative Design Symposium a Success

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Anna Scherling + Karolina Hac

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On Friday, October 3, 2025, the Hideo Sasaki Foundation hosted the Future of Collaborative Design Symposium at Sasaki’s Boston office, with a pre-convening at the Harvard Graduate School of Design the Tuesday evening prior.

Thank you to the 250+ individuals who joined us in exploring Hideo Sasaki’s enduring legacy of radical collaboration in design across both days. We are grateful to all our speakers and panelists for their insights and to our attendees for engaging in these important conversations about the past, present, and future of collaborative practice.

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Our pre-convening at the Harvard Graduate School of Design examined Hideo Sasaki’s influence on post-war American landscape architecture and his pioneering vision for an integrated, multidisciplinary design education at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Keynote speaker Gary Hilderbrand, Chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture at the Harvard GSD, explored how Hideo’s ideas were radical for his time and how his approach to solving complex problems created permeability between the GSD and Hideo’s firm. In the discussion that followed, panelists Stephen Gray, Grayscale Collaborative; Dennis Pieprz, Sasaki; Thaïsa Way, Dumbarton Oaks; Tao Zhang, Sasaki; and moderator Mary Anne Ocampo, Sasaki; joined Gary in reflecting on the meaning of Hideo’s legacy today.

Watch the pre-convening on the Hideo Sasaki Foundation’s YouTube page.

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Future of Collaborative Design Pre-convening panel at the Harvard GSD

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Morning keynote speaker Maurice Cox at 110 Chauncy

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At our day-long symposium, held in Sasaki’s Boston office, we saw designers, planners, municipal leaders, community organizations, and young professionals come together to explore the future of collaborative design through keynotes, panels, and workshops. 

Opening keynote speaker Maurice D. Cox, Emma Bloomberg Professor in Residence of Urban Planning and Design at the Harvard GSD, examined the intersection of architecture, design, and politics in equitable city development. He was followed by Marta Guerra and Margit Liander, associate principals at Sasaki, who shared how Hideo’s firm continues to lead with radical collaboration.

View Marta and Margit's slides.

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Our lunch panel brought together city leaders from Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville to discuss how municipalities are leading collaborative design initiatives. Diana Fernandez Bibeau, Deputy Chief of Urban Design at the Boston Planning Department; Luisa Oliveira, Director of Public Space and Urban Forestry at the City of Somerville; and Julie Wormser, Chief Climate Officer at the City of Cambridge; shared their work alongside moderator Tiffany Chu, Chief of Staff to Boston Mayor Michelle Wu.

link to slides

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Collaborative Design as World Building lunch panel at 110 Chauncy

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Future of Collaborative Design Symposium small session at 110 Chauncy

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Throughout the day, lightning talks and small sessions addressed critical questions about inclusive design practices, new technologies, community-led initiatives, and empowering the next generations of design professionals.

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Our Environment and Technology lightning talks examined what new expertise is required to design projects in 2025, with Ken Goulding, Sasaki; Nigel Jacob, RethinkAI; Allentza Michel, Powerful Pathways; and David Morgan, Suffolk Construction.

link to slides

Our Designers, Clients, and Communities lightning talks explored how the design process can include everyone as designers, with Gabriel Cira, ARCH CIRA; Meera Deean, City of Boston; Melissa Peters, City of Cambridge; Patricia Gruits, MASS Design Group; Heang Leung Rubin, CHIC Community Engagement; Chuyi Yin, Sasaki; and moderator Felicia Jiang, Sasaki.

link to slides

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Small session Q&A at 110 Chauncy

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Future of Collaborative Design Symposium reception at 110 Chauncy

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Our Implementing the Future small session shared how local organizations are empowering the next generation of design professionals, with Estefany Benitez, Hideo Sasaki Foundation; Neil Daniel, YouthBuild Boston; Taylor Johnson, Boston Society for Architecture; Beth Lundell Garver, Boston Architectural College; Taylor Powers, PowerCorpsBOS; and moderator Folajimi Bademosi, Hideo Sasaki Foundation.

link to slides

Our Building Community Power, Capacity, and Ownership small session discussed what radical collaboration looks like in today's political climate, with Caroline Ellenbird, Comunidades Enraizadas Community Land Trust; Lydia Lowe, Chinatown Community Land Trust; Minnie McMahon, Greater Boston Community Land Trust Network; Armani White, Reclaim Roxbury; and moderator Gabriel Ramos, Sasaki.

link to slides

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We wrapped up the day with a reception that created space for attendees to connect and discuss what they would like to take away from the symposium.

Thank you to all of our event sponsors: Sasaki, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Arielly Photography, Boston Society for Architecture, Boston Society of Landscape Architects, Reed Hilderbrand, Acentech, McNamara Salvia, Stimson, and Ummo.

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SEED interns design for six local nonprofits

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the power of design
belongs to all of us
2019 SEED high school internship
Incubator at Sasaki | Watertown, Massachusetts
the power of design
belongs to all of us
Team at the Incubator at Sasaki
Watertown, Massachusetts
the power of design
belongs to all of us
Team at the Incubator at Sasaki
Watertown, Massachusetts
the power of design
belongs to all of us
Patron touching art in the Please Touch the Art exhibit
Mosesian Center for the Arts | Watertown, Massachusetts | photo courtesy Matt Jatkola

The Hideo Sasaki Foundation works to advance equity in the design of the environment. We sponsor research and programs that empower communities and strengthen education in design.

Poster for A Celebration of Design: The Eras Tour, featuring 9 photos of Hideo Sasaki with bright color overlays, and a larger image of Hideo Sasaki in the middle

Events

2025 Celebration of Design

November 13, 2025

Enjoy food, drinks, and fun while supporting our mission of equity in design! Join the Hideo Sasaki Foundation on November 13, 2025, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at 110 Chauncy in Downtown Boston for the third annual Celebration of Design. We will celebrate Hideo Sasaki’s career, the Sasaki Foundation’s work, and the design community. All proceeds will support our mission of equity in design.

What we do

Our values build on more than six decades of work by Hideo Sasaki, focusing on the following priority areas.

1

Research & Grants

Large-scale, complex challenges require cross-disciplinary thinking. That’s why we convene experts and innovators from all backgrounds. Our research and grants bring issues of inequity in design to the forefront.

2

Community Learning

Informed and engaged residents are central ingredients of a successful community. That’s why we host public programs that amplify a diversity of voices and address socially relevant topics as we work toward systemic change.

3

Design Education

A thriving design industry relies on a pipeline of diverse, talented, and passionate practitioners who infuse new ideas and disrupt established patterns. That’s why we provide youth with opportunities to discover and explore careers in design.

History

The Hideo Sasaki Foundation is named after Hideo Sasaki, a Japanese American landscape architect who came of age in WWII. Hideo was a pioneer of modern design, a leader, and an educator. He articulated—and proved—the value of interdisciplinary design while breaking down the traditional barriers between practice and teaching.

The Hideo Sasaki Foundation was established by Sasaki, a multidisciplinary design firm founded by Hideo, with support from Hideo’s family and friends. Continuing Hideo’s legacy, we sit at the intersection of research, practice, education, and community-driven processes. We advance equity in design, inviting diverse partners to co-create change.

 

Hideo Sasaki

1970s