Tao Zhang is a principal at Sasaki, where he has steered many award-winning projects and serves as the chair of design culture on its board of directors. Trained as an ecologist and landscape architect, he strives to bridge the gap between practice and science, always rooting his design in a deep understanding of the project’s socio-ecological system. Zhang is a strong advocate for critical thinking and independent research to invigorate the profession. He oversees Sasaki’s research activities, and has collaborated with academic institutes on topics including post-occupancy metrics and environmental health.