Shaping the Waterfront: Rei Tasaka Portraits for The READ

Recently, we had the privilege of working on a meaningful and inspiring project. Our team was tasked with the photography for an article in The READ, the alumni magazine of Branksome Hall, featuring Rei Tasaka, a distinguished alum from the class of ‘97.

Rei Tasaka, now the Senior Urban Design Manager for Waterfront Toronto, is at the forefront of transforming the Ontario capital into a world-class waterside city. Her passion for urban planning and design is rooted in her love for art and architecture, passions that blossomed during her time at Branksome Hall. She draws inspiration from the works of renowned artists like Marc Chagall and Edvard Munch, influences that continue to shape her visionary approach to urban design.

Given that Rei is a place-builder, we wanted to anchor the imagery into the Waterfront, making it not just a backdrop for this article, but an important part of the story. Rei’s role at Waterfront Toronto involves envisioning the future of this iconic area, so we set her against both traditional Waterfront views of the city and the modern architecture of its newest bridges.

She focuses on planning the density, parks, and public spaces that will define the waterfront for years to come, so we aimed to visually capture this blend of creativity, passion, and forward-thinking that she brings to her work.

As lovers of good architecture and design, we are honoured to have been part of this project and to be able to contribute to sharing her story with the readers of The READ magazine. What a joy to get to capture the essence of people and places that, like Rei and her Waterfront projects, make Toronto extraordinary. We look forward to more opportunities to highlight the stories of those who are shaping our city's future.