Biographical Information

Kotaro Nakamura is a professor of the School of Art and Design at San Diego State University (SDSU). He also has 40 years of architectural practice as a principal architect of Roesling Nakamura Terada (RNT) Architects. He specializes in projects that support community engagements and development such as Japanese Friendship Garden Inamori Pavilion and Botanical Building Restoration at Balboa Park, San Diego River Park Foundation Discovery Center at Mission Valley, and San Pasqual Academy Transitional Housing for the foster youths.
Kotaro has extensive knowledge and experience of community-focused design methods that are sustainable culturally and environmentally. He has conducted research in the community recovery process after natural disasters such as wildfires in California and tsunami in Japan in the context of developing resilient and sustainable communities.
He is also an expert on energy and water efficient and environmentally sensitive design methods through his research in the architectural vernacular of indigenous structures.