ODA
Diana Tao is a skilled designer with extensive experience in landscape architecture and urban design, currently working at ODA New York since June 2021. Prior to this role, Diana served as both designer and project manager at Nancy Owens Studio, contributing to notable projects such as Hallets Cove Multi Purpose Playground and the Astoria Park Master Plan. Previous internships include positions at Harvard University Office of Physical Resources and Planning, AECOM, and Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, where Diana was involved in significant projects like Pulaski Park and Lower Manhattan Coastal Resiliency. Diana holds a Master’s degree from Harvard University Graduate School of Design and a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture and Urbanism from Smith College, complemented by a study abroad experience at Beijing Language and Culture University.
This person is not in the org chart
ODA
Since its inception in 2007, ODA has quickly emerged as one of the most recognized firms of its generation, promptly establishing a reputation for delivering imaginative and mold-breaking designs. Seeking to reorder architectural priorities by putting people first, ODA challenges conventional perspectives of dwelling that will, over time, influence life in our cities. Through a range of projects, ODA seeks to reconcile the conditions of vertical urban living with the qualities which benefit and nurture us as human beings: the desire for protected shelter while observing wide perspectives, the seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces, and the general improvement of life through good design. This prolific firm has gained extensive experience designing and building in New York – currently more than 40 projects in New York City and throughout the U.S. – making them uniquely positioned to lead the discourse of living in urban environments. The office’s buildings celebrate life, catalyzing change in their immediate environments. ODA creates value which by its nature can be replicated again in another form. Eran Chen is the founding principal of ODA. His multi award-winning projects have been praised for their social responsibility, and innovative contributions to contemporary urban life, such as the National Library of Israel, East 44th Street, Manhattan’s ultrathin tower with open gardens; 123 Melrose, a one million square foot residential development; and Hunters Point South, NYC’s largest affordable housing project in more than forty years. He is a frequent speaker at design and development forums, as well as architecture schools around the world including Columbia University, Clemson University, Syracuse University, and Miami School of Architecture.