About Us
Honors Faculty Atsuko Sakai
Design | Art | Japan
Born and raised in Japan, Atsuko Sakai brings a rich background in visual arts, architecture, and community engagement through Pre-K–12 architectural design education. Her passion for design extends beyond buildings — she sees it as a way to understand the world, blending artistic, ecological, and cultural perspectives.
Academic Background & Teaching
Sakai earned her B.A. in environmental design from Kyoto City University of Arts in Japan and a Master’s in Architecture from the University of New Mexico (UNM). She spent a decade in architectural practice, working on iconic projects in Washington, D.C., including the John F. Kennedy Center, the Library of Congress, and the Smithsonian. She also directed design education programs at Design Plus LLC in Albuquerque and taught at both the UNM School of Architecture and the Honors College.
Since joining the University of South Florida in 2016, Sakai has designed Honors courses that encourage students to explore life, culture, and the built environment through the lens of design and architecture. She uses the design process as a teaching tool, helping students make interdisciplinary connections between perception, creativity, and problem-solving.
Honors Education Leadership
Professor Sakai wears many hats at the Judy Genshaft Honors College from directing Honors Thesis I and II for the Tampa campus to leading Honors study abroad trips to Japan. For the new Honors building, she was a faculty committee member throughout the design phases and then developed Honors Capstone courses during the construction to share the unique real-world learning opportunities with students. She also plays a key role in the Honors Healthy Humanities program, an initiative originally funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, and has been offering Healthy Humanities related courses.
Some of the courses she has taught include:
- Acquisition of Knowledge
- Home: Designing Where We Live
- Mandala: The Art and Science of Composition
- Spatial Effects: Places for Healing and Well-being
- Exploring Behind the Veil: The New Honors Building
- Experience Japan from Hospitals to Hospitality (Omotenashi)
Professor Sakai’s work reflects her belief that design is a powerful force for understanding and shaping the world — and she is excited to help Honors students bring their own creative visions to life.
Contact Professor Atsuko Sakai.