Yuki A. Seda-Kane is a partner and director of architecture at Axiom Consulting and Project Management LLC, a firm specializing in project management of large infrastructure projects. With more than two decades of experience in architecture, Ms. Seda-Kane has successfully overseen the design and construction of several major projects, including light rail stations, residential developments, and government buildings. Her journey began with a passion for design sparked by her upbringing in an architecturally designed home built by her parents on Whidbey Island. This experience of being immersed in nature and surrounded by design set the foundation for her perspective on how architecture shapes the lives of people and inspired her career.
Ms. Seda-Kane earned her Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Washington State University in 2001, followed by a Master in Architecture from the same institution in 2003. Her academic achievements included being named the Outstanding Junior and Outstanding Fifth Year Student by the School of Architecture at Washington State University and receiving the Tau Beta Pi Award. Starting her career at the 2003 American Institute of Architects (AIA) Firm of the Year, The Miller Hull Partnership, Ms. Seda-Kane contributed to various projects, sharpening her design skills under the guidance of Bob Hull, Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA), and Mike Jobes, AIA. Recognition was given for the residential design of the Roundy Residence on Lopez Island, and in 2010, the Safari Drive Condominiums earned the prestigious AIA National Housing Award and an AIA Merit Award. These accolades highlighted her experience in residential and sustainable architecture and marked a pivotal moment in her professional journey.
Ms. Seda-Kane crafted her design expertise during her tenure at the 2009 AIA Firm of the Year, Olson Kundig Architects, where she specialized in high-end residential projects such as Hale Lana and Simonyi Residence located around Seattle and in Hawaii, Taipei, and Seoul. These projects taught her the value of listening deeply to clients’ needs, being unbounded by challenges, and thinking artistically about the human experience. Afterward, she transitioned to Sound Transit under the mentorship of the director of architecture, Julie Mongomery, AIA. At Sound Transit, she was a principal architect and learned the importance of creating intuitive and aesthetic public spaces while managing the design and construction of light rail stations. This work ensured that these transportation hubs met governmental and code requirements while offering a superior customer experience.
To create the vision for these spaces, Ms. Seda-Kane strives to understand and interpret her clients’ needs, whether they are government agencies or individual homeowners. She has a unique talent for conducting interviews, listening to clients and the public, and translating their desires into thoughtful, innovative designs. Her appreciation for diverse perspectives is informed by her travels through Europe and study abroad experiences in Kanazawa, Japan, during high school and Florence, Italy, through Syracuse University, where she gained insight into the various ways people live and move around their cities. Ms. Seda-Kane also developed a deep understanding of how cultural influences can shape design solutions. Her ability to blend functionality with design, inspire the vision with local jurisdiction planners, and present to the public has become her field of expertise.
Ms. Seda-Kane’s career reached a new milestone in 2024 when she became a partner and director of architecture at Axiom Consulting and Project Management LLC, under the mentorship of the founders Metin Keles and Alice Bozdogan. At Axiom, she holds a key role in overseeing architectural design in billion-dollar construction projects such as the Federal Way Link Extension light rail. Together, the Axiom team provides government agencies with strategies for delivering complex projects, organizational structure for guidance documents, and government compliance; navigates commercial negotiations with contractors; and supports owners through significant construction changes. The firm operates in Seattle, Washington; Atlanta, Georgia; and Denver, Colorado, with ambitious expansion plans to grow the company into a national brand.
Ms. Seda-Kane holds several professional certifications. She is a licensed architect in Washington State, an AIA member, a LEED accredited professional (BD+C), and an Envision sustainability professional. She also holds a Design-Build professional certification from DBIA Northwest Region. Moreover, Ms. Seda-Kane has volunteered with the Architecture Construction Engineering (ACE) Mentoring Program, organizing high school student projects and helping the next generation of architects develop their skills. Currently, she mentors other young professionals and colleagues at work and with organizations such as DBIA and volunteers at her local childcare center. Supporting others on their professional journeys creates meaning for the same investment afforded to her by her leadership.
Ms. Seda-Kane carries inspiration from her past, being raised by her Japanese mother, who taught her language and art skills and the value of a creative and global perspective. Her American father was a navigator in the U.S. Air Force, a mechanical engineer, and a contractor who started his own project management company and taught her about self-made opportunities and perseverance. With her parents, she collaborated on the design and construction of three homes and an art studio during the formative years of her career. These early experiences sparked a desire to create projects that shape the lives of the people who live in them. Axiom is the next evolutionary step in her career to improve the lives of many by helping governments deliver the infrastructure that supports everyone.
In her free time, Ms. Seda-Kane enjoys golf, hiking, skiing, spending time in nature, and traveling to inspiring places and buildings, near and abroad with her family and friends.
