2026 Class of Fellows: Todd Kohli, PLA, FASLA, Northern California Chapter

SmithGroup; San Francisco, California
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Category: Leadership/Management, Page 52

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Category: Leadership/Management, Page 52

Todd Kohli, PLA, ASLA, is a highly accomplished leader whose work has advanced landscape architecture across cities, campuses, and communities around the world. As a Senior Principal at SmithGroup, he leads multidisciplinary teams across multiple regions, shaping projects that bring together design excellence, sustainability, and community impact. Kohli is exceptional for his ability to unite diverse disciplines and stakeholders to deliver complex, high-impact projects. Over a nearly 30-year career spanning 15 countries, he has helped redefine the role of landscape architects as central leaders in shaping the public realm. His portfolio includes globally recognized projects such as Tokyo Midtown, a transformative mixed-use development that catalyzed a major cultural and economic district, as well as civic landmarks like the Sunnyvale Civic Center, the nation's first net-zero energy city hall, and the South San Francisco Civic Center, a model for community-driven design. His leadership extends into healthcare and campus environments, where he has championed biophilic design to support healing and well-being. Projects like UCSF Mission Bay and the Gansu Women and Children's Hospital demonstrate how thoughtfully designed landscapes can improve health outcomes while conserving resources. Beyond his built work, Kohli has had a profound impact through mentorship and professional service. For more than two decades, he has guided students and emerging professionals, many of whom now lead firms and major projects of their own. His leadership roles with ASLA, the Urban Land Institute, and the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board have strengthened professional networks and advanced the future of the discipline. Through visionary leadership, collaborative practice, and a deep commitment to people, Todd Kohli has elevated landscape architecture's influence and created places that inspire, connect, and endure.

As seen in LASN magazine, August 2026.