Mikyoung Kim, Founding Principal

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. From children’s playgrounds to city parks and urban master plans, her work reflects a deep commitment to memorable place making that captures the public imagination. Her landscapes bring a richly layered civic experience to the public realm that engages the senses for a multi-generational audience.

As the founder and design director of Mikyoung Kim Design, she has crafted an exceptional body of work that has been highlighted in numerous publications, including the New York Times, the Washington Post, Landscape Architecture Magazine, Architectural Record, Dwell, Surface, Garden Design, and the Chicago Tribune. Mikyoung was named an AD innovator by Architectural Digest and recently received the ASLA National Design Medal. She is a fellow with the American Society of Landscape Architects and a recipient of the prestigious BSA’s Women in Design Award. Her work is featured in the Smithsonian Museum “American Voices” Collection.

A frequent international speaker, Mikyoung has lectured at academic institutions, professional organizations, botanic gardens, museums, and art institutes. She has taught at the Harvard Graduate School of Design and is a Professor Emerita at the Rhode Island School of Design.

Ian Downing, Associate Principal

Ian Downing is an associate principal and senior technical leader at Mikyoung Kim Design. Ian manages projects throughout their entirety, with a special focus on ensuring a smooth process from design development through final construction and implementation. With an eye towards sustainability, he implements environmentally responsible design strategies and has extensive experience with LEED projects.

Bryan Chou, Associate Principal

Bryan Chou is the associate principal and senior design leader at Mikyoung Kim Design. Bryan’s design leadership has resulted in numerous awards from the ASLA, AIA, and Architizer. He has extensive experience with custom fabrication and material innovation in landscape architecture and public art. Bryan is a registered Landscape Architect. He has taught at the Harvard Graduate School of Design and has been a guest critic at the Rhode Island School of Design.