Balázs Bognár

Balázs Bognár is an American architect, partner and executive vice president at Kengo Kuma & Associates, and the 2025 president of the Japan chapter of American Institute of Architects. He earned his undergraduate architecture degree at WashU and a Master of Architecture at Harvard University. Bognár is a native of Urbana, Illinois, living in Tokyo, where he has been working alongside Kengo Kuma since 2007 to lead teams for projects in North America and elsewhere. His role spans design direction and mentorship in and outside the office, with interests embracing the varied relationships between places, cultures, and nature. Key completed work includes Alberni in Vancouver, Canada; Amanpuri Retail Pavilion in Phuket, Thailand; Rolex in Dallas, Texas; Portland Japanese Garden Cultural Village in Oregon; and Red Bull Music Academy in Tokyo, Japan. Bognár also lectures broadly and writes selectively about his work with Kengo Kuma & Associates, reflecting on the meaning of the office’s efforts within broader cultural contexts.