The Team
Akiko Arai
Founder
Registered Architect in NY, WA and OR
Email: akiko@sora-design.info
Akiko is a founding partner of Sora Design. She has previous experience being a senior designer at N&R (formerly known as MNA), an architecture firm in New York. There, she gained experience managing and designing high end residential and retail projects of both traditional and modern aesthetics.
Education:
Master of Architecture:
Cornell University - Ithaca, New York
Bachelor of Architecture:
Iowa State University - Ames, Iowa
Katsuya Arai
Founder
Email: katsuya@sora-design.info
Katsuya is a founding partner of Sora Design. He gained his knowledge mostly working in New York, and also he has worked internationally in Vienna, Graz, Amsterdam, Tokyo.
Education:
Master of Architecture:
Cornell University - Ithaca, New York
Bachelor of Architecture:
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo, California
Katsuya & Akiko
Services
New Home Construction
Renovation
Design Consultation
Matcha
About
Hello, and thank you for your interest in us!
The name of our architecture studio, Sora, means “sky” in Japanese. We decided to call ourselves this, envisioning a clear blue sky with limitless possibilities.
Prior to relocating to Portland, we worked in New York for eight years, after earning our Masters in Architecture at Cornell University. Our project focus was high-end retail and residential work.
Our goal is to design in a way that is fresh but grounded; New, but familiar. A building is a canvas that comes to life by the people who occupy it. Our goal is to design a space that brings out the “you”.
We look forward to hearing from you, and being a part of your next project!
- SORA design
Toto & Ocha