Honolulu-based Group 70 International (G70) hired principal and design director Ma Ry Kim, one of the Hawaii’s most coveted international architects. The former design director for Gensler Europe is recognized for multiple award-winning projects globally and for her architectural contributions to emerging economies within the Middle East and Europe.
“It is with sheer delight that we welcome Ma Ry into the Group 70 ohana. The quality and breadth of work in Ma Ry’s international project roster is outstanding. She designs with unwavering focus on delivering value to the client and improving the lives of the end-user,” says Charles Kaneshiro, president and COO of Group 70 International. “Ma Ry also has a passion for mentoring young people which is very much in line with our company values. We’re honored she chose Group 70.”
Kim has more than 20 years of industry experience, beginning her career in Gensler’s Los Angeles office and then relocating a few years later to its London office where she spent the remainder of her tenure as principal and regional design leader of the mixed-use and entertainment practice areas. Kim led projects in the Middle East, London, Russia, Bulgaria, Siberia, and the U.S., several of which introduced new building types to emerging cities and regions. All of her work centers on the idea of “place making” in the belief that design must support the larger goals of urbanism, cultural resonance, human scale, and essential economic viability.
“The decision to join Group 70 made sense on every level. We share the same goals and both of our philosophies are deeply rooted in the human side of design. We have a mutual desire to build communities that represent and respect the people, and help to fundamentally improve lives,” Kim says. “Group 70 is highly innovative and fantastic in its design approach. My goal with the firm is to help grow its international practice and also to add value to the way Group 70 approaches design by making their process more robust and tangible for themselves and their clients, markets, and communities.”
Since 2009, Kim has taught at the University of Hawaii at Manoa School of Architecture in various capacities. She has spent the last two years as a full-time associate professor and practicum director where her previous work experience and global connections opened the practicum across global borders, sending UH students into Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
