We’re starting an exciting new chapter in Texas, as we welcome Nina Ndichu as Austin Office Director. Nina takes the reins from interim director Nan Jiang, who provided steady leadership in Austin while continuing to lead our Data Science practice. An urban designer and planner, Nina brings a global perspective and a systems-thinking mindset to her work, shaped by training in both Kenya and the United States.
We sat down with Nina to talk about what drew her to urban design, how her philosophy has evolved, and what’s ahead for the Toole Design Austin team.
What first drew you to urban design and planning?
When I started out in architecture, it was more about ego. I thought, “I want to make a nice, pretty building.” I didn’t really think about who was using it. But my training focused not just on buildings, but also on the built environment, people, and the systems that support them. In Kenya, where I studied and practiced for many years, architecture and urban design are taught holistically as a single practice. That kind of systems-level thinking shifted my practice of architecture and led me to focus more on urban design and planning. Now I think, “There’s a social problem. How can I use design to fix it?”
What is your urban design philosophy?
People! I consistently prioritize the end user in everything I do. I want to solve problems and make people’s lives better through design.
Being more conscious of a design’s impacts and thinking about the people using spaces has stuck with me.
Was there a specific experience that shaped (or reshaped) your Perspective?
Yes, a class I took in 2005 during my second year of architecture school in Kenya. I used to love glass buildings. Then I had this professor, very focused on sustainability, who explained how a cluster of glass buildings in Nairobi’s central business district reflected sunlight so intensely that it felt like you were being burned when you walked down the street. That class changed my perspective, and I later wrote my thesis on sustainably retrofitting those same buildings. That shift in mindset, being more conscious of a design’s impacts and thinking about the people using spaces, has stuck with me.
What’s a project you’re excited about right now?
I’m really excited about the Six to Fix project with the Waco MPO, which is a Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) demonstration project. We’re installing low-cost, temporary safety improvements at six high-impact locations. This project is an opportunity to test innovative safety strategies locally, educate the public on what a safety infrastructure project can look like, and inform future planning efforts across the region.
What’s special about the Toole Design Austin team?
The Austin office has a unique setup. Nine of our 13 staff members are part of the City of Austin augmentation team, so they primarily work on City projects. One major benefit of this arrangement is working directly with the City on stand-alone efforts such as daylighting projects, mobility hubs, and the urban trails wayfinding and signage project.
Beyond the augmentation team, our Austin staff work on projects throughout Texas and beyond. I’m especially excited to be welcoming two new team members who will be based here in Austin with me. The team and I are looking forward to growing our local presence, serving Texans in all types of communities, and celebrating wins along the way!
