Saiki Design | Landscape Architects

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Ken is not the easiest man to interview.
Too much on the line, 
and the office is always in mind.
All I could get him to reveal went like…
a few strokes, like 10, off his golf game

Perhaps the best way then,
to get to know Ken, would be to consider
his unique approach to landscape architecture,
and the firm, Ken Saiki Design.

An alternative shop of renegade designers,
a city of creative processes, which is
Enlivened by the energy of youth,
and a group of liberated senior designers.
Ken’s philosophy has no manifesto, simply:
“Work must be fun.”

Conceived of by a Madison native
a passion indebted to…
a semester abroad with his brother,
a visit to a friend in London—
a visiting professor…
  “It was a very good year”
  Not Frank, but Jim Sinatra

Inspired by another passion
…for his destined wife Pat
---for self-preservation
~~~for the mantra, “If you don’t get better, you die.”

Ken doesn’t strike me as the type of person
who names a design firm after himself.
There is no ego in his workflow,
no a priori right way to design, and no
Saiki signature imposed upon the lives
and efforts of others.
Design is problem-solving.
Design is starting over with nothing
but the experience of having tried before.
Design has no solution,
for it is a reiterative process.

Then he resolves the paradox stating,
“No one is smart enough to impose a design
confused with arrogance and ignorance.
Rather, a base level of understanding is
constantly being called into question”.

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Growing up in a rustic log cabin (complete with outhouse) along the Wisconsin River, Pat’s childhood could be best described as Little House in the Big Woods, meets Huckleberry Finn. It was here she nurtured her love of native plants, the great outdoors, and indoor plumbing. Playing outdoors builds character. For example, Pat describes her March water skiing exploits as merely “refreshing”. With a childhood that fostered a deep connection to the land, it was an easy decision to study landscape architecture at the UW-Madison.

Today, Pat’s dedication to the land continues to be a guiding principle at Saiki Design, where her deep-rooted knowledge of native plants, and strong land ethic serve her well. She is a proponent of sustainable building methods, environmentally sensitive design, and preserving green space in an increasingly developed world. She sets high standards for her work and leads others by example.  Pat is generous in sharing her knowledge, and believes education is key to a more sustainable future.

In addition to her achievements as a landscape architect, Pat is also a Master Gardener whose own garden is home to many on-going experiments!

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Rebecca is a born and bred Wisconsinite who originally hales from a small town outside of Madison.  She loves to explore other parts of the world and has backpacked through the outback in Australia, shopped for batik in Indonesia, discovered nooks and crannies throughout Western Europe, loosened sore muscles in natural hot springs in Japan, climbed the Pyrenees with shepherds in Romania, cooked her way across Thailand, and hiked through the Italian countryside.

If she wasn’t a practicing Landscape Architect, Rebecca would be putting her love of food to work as a cooking instructor.  You can often find her in the kitchen carefully preserving jar upon jar of her newest jam recipe, mastering her father’s apple-raisin chutney or attempting her mother’s famous Maine granola.

Rebecca lives with her family at the base of the Flatirons in Boulder, Colorado and works from an office that we fondly refer to as “Saiki Design West”.

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There’s something about landscape architects; be it nature or nurture, that quality we share . . . whatever it is, Abbie’s got it.  The statuesque young woman dressed in green (except of course on football Saturdays) did not mess around when she decided on her course in life.  She tested a childhood ambition in her father’s veterinary office, but quickly discovered that it wasn’t for her.  At least landscape architects don’t have to hold their clients down or worry about getting bitten!  No, it would be a different life for Abbie.  She wanted to stay close to her home in Waunakee, so she began her studies at UW-Madison.  With an aptitude in both art and science, she developed that unique left brain-right brain balance so helpful in the profession.

Of course there is more to life than just work. For Abbie there are two daughters, a husband, friends, traveling, cooking, eating (in the following order: cookies, brownies, pie . . . and healthy food too), and her dog Charlie.

Abbie is clearly on the path toward her greatest ambition, to improve the lives of others.  All in all, that path looks promising.  She’s avoided the blood and gore in veterinary science, but who knows what nasty stuff might be encountered in landscape architecture. 

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Chewbacca was once quoted as saying, “Gggggaaarrr.” No one is quite sure what that means (except for maybe Yoda) but if you ever need a good laugh, have Nik perform his infamous Chewie call.

You don’t have to spend much time with this Wisconsin native to know his warm personality and fun, hardworking attitude. Passionate about his work, his family, and all sorts of music, Nik is delighted to call Madison his home.

Chalk it up to destiny or fate, but it certainly wasn’t luck that led Nik to a career in landscape architecture. His great grandfather aspired to be a landscape architect in Germany. His dad majored in forestry. His aunt is a master gardener. Would it be a stretch to say it is in his genes? The journey started with engineering at UW-Platteville and ended with a degree in landscape architecture from UW-Madison. Along the way Nik has had the opportunity to work for firms in Wisconsin, Colorado, and Minnesota, which have provided him with a wealth of experience and knowledge.

Led Zepplin. Neil Young. Mark Knopfler. Mention any of these names around Nik and you’ll quickly find where one of his greatest interests lies: music. Whether dusting off old albums of the greats or perusing the Madison music scene for new noteworthy musicians, Nik has an insatiable appetite for quality music. If you are lucky you might even get the opportunity to hear Nik covering a selection on his Les Paul.

There’s no doubt that Nik’s personality has rubbed off on the office. Since his arrival there have been new tunes coming from the stereo, more laughs at the office meetings, and less coffee in the pot. We couldn’t be happier to have him on our team.

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Growing up on the shores of Lake Michigan, Julia and her sister went to the beach armed with buckets and shovels. Shaping the sand and clay, in long sleeves nonetheless, it’s no wonder Julia’s first degree was in sculpture. She started at Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD) intending to study drawing and painting but soon found that she “liked to build stuff.”  She completed her sculpture degree and soon found herself balancing a number of jobs, including starting a gallery with a group of fellow artists.  Inspired by the opportunities to participate in public art, and perhaps a full-time job, Julia started her degree in landscape architecture and found a perfect fit.

These days Julia splits her time between the Madison office and her coworking space at the Global Water Center in Milwaukee. She and her husband, Jason, a fellow MIAD grad, live in Wauwatosa with their various pets. Although the daughter of a veterinarian, she says she doesn't have exotic pets anymore; then proceeds to tell us about her gecko, who is 20+ years old and still going strong, and the escape artist iguana that used to show up on the back of her couch. I guess it's all a matter of persepctive.

A recreational biker, gardener and yogi, Julia fits in quite comfortably at Saiki Design.  Her background in two and three-dimensional art is apparent as she sketches away at her desk.  As playing in the sand at the beach helped shape her life, we’re excited to see how she, in turn, gives shape to the larger landscape.

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Sitting in Robinia Courtyard, an inviting urban niche of wood and stone along the bustling and revitalizing East Washington Avenue corridor, I get to know Jordan and his interests over some adult beverages. The sun warms our glasses to the point of perspiration, as this bright-eyed young lad tells me about his simple passion in life with a big smile on his face, "To make people happy!"

Jordan casually explains how his world has been flipped 180 degrees since the awakening of his design awareness and acknowledgement that design is everywhere in our built environment. This has changed his perspective of the world and how he thinks and feels about everything. He finds inspiration within his surroundings, from how the wood slats are fastened to the metal frame in the small table our drinks rest on, to the use of enclosure and overhead canopy that define the subspaces within the courtyard to a humanized scale, to how all of these details, materials and finishes make up the collective feeling of this courtyard space we sit in.

This Wisconsin native hails from the Milwaukee suburb of Glendale, where his grandfather owned and operated a landscape design-build company and educated his children on plant identification using their proper Latin names. After stumbling upon the landscape architecture program at UW-Madison, Jordan quickly realized this was the perfect profession to pursue his interests, which are deeply aligned with both his grandfathers's passion for horticulture and his own mission to shape spaces that give people joy.

Upon graduating from UW-Madison in 2017, Jordan packed his bags and headed west to Saiki Design's office in Boulder, CO. Unless there's a Wisconsin sports game to watch, you'll likely find Jordan outside hiking, camping, skiing, and enjoying everything else the mountains have to offer.

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Born and raised in Waunakee, Sarah is a Wisconsin native. She attended University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where she earned a degree in teaching-- which seems very fitting, given her clear organizational skills and calm, understanding attitude. When she wasn't studying, Sarah exercised her leadership ability as manager of the men's basketball program.

There was a time that Sarah did leave her home state, but something drew her back. After all, it IS still possible to watch Badger sports from anywhere... but it's not quite the same when you can't cheer from the stands with your family.  

If you can't find her, Sarah may be off on a walk or bike ride, creating her own personal 'zen' moment.

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Katherine grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and attended The Ohio State University (but try not to hold that against her).  While she was in school, the field of landscape architecture found her at the intersection of a love of art and a desire to benefit all human and non-human animals, plants, ecosystems, and non-living things. She believes not only that it is possible to benefit all of these entities at once, but that they must be addressed together.

When she's not at the office, Katherine is likely to be found conjuring up new vegan recipes,  practicing yoga, exploring a park or forest, making art, or volunteering at Heartland Farm Sanctuary. In addition, her adventurous spirit and spontaneity have grown her love to travel, pushing her to find and appreciate the beauty and diversity in everything around her. 

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Part Gaelic. 

Part Garlic. 

If her name didn’t give it away, a favorite T-shirt from childhood, which she still has today, sums up Kathleen’s ancestry and fun, easy-going personality.

Kathleen has been fortunate to experience her ancestry first-hand, traveling throughout Europe.  During a semester-long study abroad, using Sheffield, England as her home base, Kathleen was able to explore regions of Italy and Ireland as well as Czechoslovakia, Germany and Austria. 

Despite her extensive travels throughout Europe and the United States, Kathleen values the comforts of the small Midwestern town and considers herself at home in the Midwest.  Kathleen grew up in Ottawa, Illinois which is southwest of the Chicago metro by about an hour.  She is a graduate from the University of Illinois Landscape Architecture program and was most recently working in northern Illinois for several landscape architecture and landscape design-build firms as a free-lance designer. 

Kathleen is very intrigued by the field of historic preservation within the profession.  Perhaps the desire to preserve our past for the present and future generations was instilled  by her parents.  Kathleen can recall her dad’s Datsun from her childhood which he lovingly dubbed, “hot rod,” and how the day finally came when “hot rod’s” 30-some-year run came to an end.  Kathleen’s parents own the oldest family-run business in Ottawa; Herman’s Liquor was established in 1932 by her grandfather and has been a part of the community ever since.

When not working, Kathleen pursues her interests in art, specifically drawing and painting; travel, and biking or working out.  We think Madison and the greater Badger state will be a great fit for Kathleen and are very lucky to have Kathleen as part of our team!  She is already hard at work helping us with our office move and rebranding efforts along with juggling numerous project assignments.

Part Gaelic.

Part Garlic.

And now part Badger! 

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Luisa grew up in a small town: her home base of Thiensville, WI encompasses an area of just a single square mile. However, her experience of the world has never been small: Luisa and her four siblings have traveled to Mexico to visit family almost annually for 22 years.  It’s clear that this conjunction of experiences has influenced her perspective, both in life and in design.

Luisa began to learn about plants early on from her father, who used his horticulture degree to work for a landscape company. She decided that landscape architecture was for her in high school, after shadowing a family friend. She prefers not to name a “favorite part” of landscape architecture and enjoys exploring everything the field has to offer. This is reflected in her eagerness and ability to take on a variety of responsibilities in the office. A graduate of the landscape architecture program at UW-Madison, Luisa is a natural fit in the Saiki Design office. Her experience as a gardener and her love for color give her a unique approach to assignments, from planting design to graphics. When she’s not at work, you might find her biking, running, or cooking, just a few more ways for her to seek out new experiences.

Perhaps the most striking aspect of Luisa’s attitude is her approach to stress-management; she doesn’t have one. Rather, she prevents stress from occurring in the first place by maintaining awareness of a simple fact: more often than not, there is no reason to worry. We look forward to learning a thing or two from Luisa while we have the opportunity to work with her.

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Authenticity has emerged as somewhat of a buzzword recently, and understandably so. Many of us are being introduced to the wonders of local food or handcrafted furniture. Jared, on the other hand, knows no other way.

Born and bred in Green Bay, Wisconsin, he was taught by his father and his grandfather to “fix something old, rather than buy something new.” This concept has been ingrained in Jared, who still uses his father’s tools to further the custom of restoring and rebuilding the old. 

Jared’s design philosophy was influenced by his mentor Phil Lewis, FASLA (the father of the environmental corridor), who encouraged him to be grounded in the context of every project. At the heart of every design problem he encounters is his desire to understand the site and expand upon it, all without losing the inherent nature of the place.

It’s clear that this centered approach extends to his home life as well. Splitting wood, carpentry, metal music, keeping bees, and conquering Mississippi River barges by way of canoe might sound like atypical forms of relaxation, but don’t tell that to Jared. When tasked with splitting a tough knot, he is not deterred, but instead relishes the opportunity to “remember that piece.”

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Nature calmed me.

Samantha moved to Middleton, Wisconsin when she was 10 years old. By all intents and purposes, she is a Badger through and through. Graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Landscape Architecture and certificate in Environmental Studies, a service-learning trip to Honduras punctuated her education. In a new context, designing for a younger generation, discovering how the “environment affects the person, and the person affects the environment.”

Nature focused me.

A move to Boston, with her sights set on improving playgrounds and children’s outdoor learning environments, Samantha’s tenet was clear: connect humans, specifically youth, with nature. While in Boston, this tenet grew into a reality as she practiced in a studio specific to K-12 education.

And yet, Nature excited my senses.

“Connecting to nature” extends well beyond Samantha’s design philosophy, as she enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, running, farmer’s markets, and outdoor activities in general. It’s hard not to be inspired by Sam’s enthusiasm for nature and what it can do for us socially, emotionally, physically, holistically. Her enthusiasm only amplifies as she offers two decisive pieces of advice, “spend 20 minutes in nature, disconnected from technology” and “when in Cambridge, MA, eat at Pammy’s. Eat everything at Pammy’s.”

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His beagle’s name is Pongo. And Pongo’s pal is a rabbit named Potato. Though Potato doesn’t look as potato-y as one might imagine.

Old, reclaimed steel, wood, brick buildings speak to him.

Van Valkenburgh is a landscape architect he admires.

Originally planning on studying architecture, his dream of being a Badger outweighed his desire to become an architect, so he made his way to landscape architecture instead. In it, Chris finds a perfect balance of his passion for design and his love of the natural world. To him, the bonds that he forges with clients are the most rewarding part of his process.

Chris has a penchant for travel, evidenced by the impressive tally of places he’s visited. Though he’s able tick a few off his long list of to-be-explored destinations each year, it nevertheless continues to grow. Seeking unique outdoor spaces, designed and natural, is something Chris enjoys in his excursions. With each trip, Chris brings back a newfound, catalogued experience to pull from in his work. That work reflects his love of studying people, nature, and the experiences that bring them together.

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When I think of MacKenzie, I think green.

For one thing, her eyes are green.

She loves avocados.

Her favorite color is green.

She has a green thumb. In addition to having a horticultural background, MacKenzie has the most plants I have ever seen inside a home. Her ability to keep all the plants alive and thriving is uncanny.

Or perhaps it's her approach to design, which focuses on blending the natural world into urban environments. It's no surprise that her favorite place to visit is Seattle, which offers lush vegetation and green landscapes within an urban setting. With this approach in mind, MacKenzie seeks to make positive impacts on the world by designing spaces that benefit both people and the environment.

Landscape architecture is a natural fit for MacKenzie.

MacKenzie is currently a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she pursues a degree in landscape architecture. Outside the office, you can catch her testing out new recipes, going on bike rides, tending to her countless house plants, and exploring hiking trails throughout Wisconsin.