Miwako Hattori, AIA, LEED AP, is a founder and Principal of Studio Kiro. She was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, and has spent over 20 years in New Orleans. Before she fell in love with New Orleans, she spent her architectural education and early career in Tokyo, Japan; Raleigh, NC; Charleston, SC; Prague, Czech Republic; and Berlin, Germany. She has worked as Studio Director and Principal at one of New Orleans leading architectural firms for ten years. She has extensive project experience at various scales, ranging in cost from $100,000 to $80 million in markets varying from residential, hospitality, civic, transportation, and higher education.

Miwako believes architectural space should relate to its cultural, climactic, and urban or natural context. New places and spaces that reflect clients’ and users’ desired life approaches should enhance and give energy to the existing surroundings and become a part of the community. Her philosophy of how the clients' life approach should inform a space is rooted in her studies at Japan Women’s University of Housing Design. She received her Master of Architecture degree from North Carolina State University.

A design and detail-oriented licensed Architect with over 25 years of experience across comprehensive project types and scales throughout the United States, Germany, and Japan. Her project expertise includes the Programming, Conceptualization, and Budgeting phases, assuring the implementation of the clients' vision through construction. Miwako is also interested in designing 'inside-out' - emphasizing the users’ well-being within the space/environment. She frequently collaborates with design experts locally and internationally to deliver the most enriching product for the client. Her hands-on approach embodies a continuous transparent dialogue with the client, user groups, and collaborators.