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When Balazs Bognar moved to Tokyo from Urbana, Ill., at age 17, he had no idea he'd end up living there for the rest of his life.
"He would take me and my mom and my brothers to cities around the country around his research and work on buildings," the 45-year-old architect tells the News-Gazette.
"I'm definitely the apple that didn't fall far from the tree."
Bognar went on to earn a master's degree in architecture from Harvard in 2000 and a bachelor's in architecture from the University of Illinois in 1996.
Now a partner at Kengo Kuma & Associates in Tokyo, Bognar has designed buildings in more than 30 countries, including the main stadium for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the Red Bull Music Academy in Tokyo, and the Portland Japanese Garden cultural village in Oregon, among others.
"I was surprised by the impact, of the cornfields and grain silos, and the beauty of the land," he tells the News-Gazette.
"It is nostalgic for me, but also the overlap with minimalist Japanese aesthetics."
Bognar's father, Botond Bognar, is the Edgar A.afel chair in architecture at the University of Illinois.
His brother, Aman Bali
Selected Grant News Headlines
A customized collection of grant news from foundations and the federal government from around the Web.
Wealth managers are seeing a growing demand for strategies that balance financial returns with social outcomes.The 2025 AlTi Global Social Progress Index assesses 170 countries across key indicators,...more
Foundation: Kellogg Foundation
The Growing Healthy Minds, Bodies and Communities program provides training and resources to support preschool teachers, students and students' families.The Clinic for Outreach and Personal...more
All Individuals First Receives Grant For $1,000 From Los Alamos Community Foundation.The grant is part of the Foundation's 10 for 10 Anniversary Celebration.All Individuals First is a non-profit that...more
Foundation: Madison Community Foundation
The Bike Bus fund supports the purchase of the vehicle, the cost of a wrap, an insurance fund and a gas and maintenance fund.We'll also use it to transport volunteers to bike donation drives outside...more
b.well Connected Health demonstrated end-to-end patient data retrieval via the TEFCA network, in partnership with CommonWell Health Alliance.Paul Wilder: I think you're going to see more innovation...more
Cure CEO Seema Kumar is breaking down silos in Healthcare Innovation.Kumar has observed that many brilliant health innovators struggle not with scientific knowledge but with commercialization...more
The AI and Student Mental Health Symposium was held on March 16 at Dartmouth.The event was sponsored by the Center for Technology and Behavioral Health.Keynote speaker Ellie Pavlick, an assistant...more
The Liaison Committee on Medical Education will continue to fully accredit Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin for the next eight years.The LCME is the accrediting body for...more
AISAP, an Israeli medical startup pioneering AI-driven diagnostics, has been recognized as one of the world's most innovative and promising companies for 2025.The comprehensive report seamlessly...more
Medical students will practice in a world where technology is a more integrated part of health care.Technology and innovation should become a cornerstone of medical education and training.Responsible...more
Social Entrepreneurship
Spotlight
DIGDEEP Brings Clean Water to Many American Homes
DIGDEEP Water, a human rights organization founded by international human rights lawyer George McGraw, designs water access projects. This holiday season, DIGDEEP is bringing reliable clean water access to over 250 homes through its Navajo Water Project, in partnership with St. Bonaventure Indian Mission in Thoreau, NM.
