Ann Tanaka (MArch ’26) is a designer and researcher whose work examines climate adaptation and collective infrastructure for resilience at the wildland-urban interface. She is completing a MArch I from Harvard GSD, where her thesis (advised by Toshiko Mori) reframed wildfire resilience as a collective civic challenge, drawing on Japanese models of disaster preparedness. Prior to studying at the GSD, she earned a BS in architectural design from Stanford University, with minors in art history and East Asian studies. She has worked in practices across New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Tokyo, and is currently applying her thesis research to a project in her hometown of Los Angeles.
Ann’s time at the GSD spanned design, research, and teaching across core studios, structures, and the “Japan Story” seminar. “I came into the GSD wanting to become a better designer,” she says. “I’m also leaving as a stronger researcher with the ability to connect design and research in my own work.”
The Harvard Graduate School of Design Class of 2026 represents the range of departments and disciplines that shape the School’s distinctive approach to design education. In this video series, students share perspectives on their work, research, and experiences, reflecting a commitment to advancing a more resilient, just, and beautiful world. We’ll be sharing more about the 2026 graduates over the next few weeks!
Video by Maggie Janik
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