Charles Tashima graduated with honours from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design in 1991, earning a Master of Architecture and the thesis prize. At the time, the School was in a particularly rich period, with Chairman Rafael Moneo, the influential Spanish architect. His teaching and practice have had a lasting effect on Charles. Of particular note is his rigorous, context-sensitive approach to architecture, demonstrating how contemporary design can emerge from a careful reading of place, history, and construction.
In his graduating year, Charles was awarded the Kennedy Travelling Fellowship to retrace the architect Le Corbusier’s seminal 1911 ‘Journey to the East.’ Immersing himself for eight months in the vernacular architecture of Eastern Europe, Turkey, and Greece, he studied the buildings, landscapes, and urban patterns that shaped Le Corbusier’s vision. By following this route, Charles deepened his approach to architecture through regional cultures, contexts, traditions and everyday uses of buildings.
After his travels, Charles taught design at the ETH-Zurich together with the progressive and influential Swiss practice of Meili Peter Architekten. It was here where he developed his understanding of space, materials and construction as well as open, collaborative approach. Charles has been a design critic at many schools internationally, having taught design at the Architectural Association, where he was also Academic Head.
Architecture is a vocation for Charles. It is all-consuming in everything he does. His design flair, instinctive problem-solving, collaborative, and open approach to design have been honed since his early childhood.
Studio Tashima has been in practice continuously since 1999.
Charles Tashima
What Defines Our Work
Our studio is dedicated to the imaginative reinvention of buildings and spaces. We create places that are deeply rooted in their surroundings, revealing the character of what already exists while crafting new layers of meaning.
We believe in ‘a living architecture,’ one that responds to its natural and human environment and continues to evolve over time. This philosophy guides our approach to the careful adaptation and transformation of buildings, allowing them to grow with the changing patterns of life. The result is architecture that feels timeless yet alive: richly layered through materiality, light, and spatial experience.
Our Team
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Studio Manager
Alice oversees the smooth running of the studio’s day-to-day operations.
Alice previously managed a luxury textiles studio, producing acoustic wallcoverings and artworks. She has worked on a variety of projects with interior designers, architects and private clients to produce bespoke products for architectural spaces in residential, educational and commercial settings.
Alice was born in Kent and graduated from Loughborough University with a degree in Textiles: Innovation and Design. Alice has a particular passion for design and space.
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Architectural Assistant
Christopher joined Studio Tashima in 2025 as an Architectural Assistant.
He completed his master’s degree at the Manchester School of Architecture (MSA), where he studied within Atelier ‘Continuity in Architecture’, graduating with distinction. His thesis, which focused on adaptive reuse and sustainable materials, explored how post-industrial landscapes could be redeveloped into Neo-Agrarian settlements.
Christopher’s design approach prioritises user experience, placing the client at the heart of his design process.
He is passionate about concept-driven architecture, often abstracting and interrogating ideas to create unique designs, drawing inspiration from art, fashion, music, and the natural environment.
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Senior Technical Designer
Lisa joined Studio Tashima in 2025 as Freelance and is a qualified Architect with over 10 years’ experience.
Prior to joining Studio Tashima she worked various practices in & around London on a wide range of projects at various scales, from schools to scheduled ancient monuments and a number of residential projects, including a one-off house that won a RIBA National award and was longlisted for RIBA House of the Year.
Her main interests lie in historical conservation and the importance of architectural detailing and can often be found in the office hand sketching details under a pile of trace paper.
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Associate
Estefânio has experience on a wide range of projects from working across different sectors since 2002. From civic and education buildings to residential projects, he has gathered experience across all stages, from inception to construction.
During his practice he has also acquired a consistent understanding of construction techniques and materiality, along with a particular interest in how things are built and the tectonic expression of design.
He was born in Paris and studied architecture at Coimbra University in Portugal where he graduated with distinction with his thesis “(dis)Simulated Urbanity and City”, on shopping centres and their impact on American and European cities. He is currently a member of ARB.
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Architectural Assistant
Yasemin is an Architectural Assistant with experience spanning the UK, Turkey and the US. She has worked on projects ranging from residential design to digital environments.
She studied at the Architectural Association (AA) in London, where she completed her Part I and II with Honours. Her work explores how technology can enrich architectural storytelling, from AR/VR experiences to more traditional built forms.
Yasemin enjoys balancing the conceptual with the practical, and she firmly believes that a good drawing, accompanied by a strong cup of tea, can solve most design problems.
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Architectural Assistant
Emma has recently started at Studio Tashima as an architectural assistant. Prior to joining, Emma gained invaluable experience with sensitive historic environments. From planning to completion, she has led the refurbishment of a Grade II* wine merchants in Green Park as well as the design of a pavilion for the Grade I* British icon, Tower Bridge.
Emma qualified in architecture from the University of Cambridge in 2015, having previously studied architecture at the Royal College of Art and the University of Brighton. She was the winner of the NLA Student Prize for Architecture in 2012.
Emma left the UK in 2016 to pursue her passion for travel, where she visited over fifty cities in twenty-nine countries. Her travels play an important part in her design work.
Over the years Emma has developed a passion for high quality design that not only meets client needs but also extends the lifetime of a building to facilitate change.
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Project Designer
Stefania joined Studio Tashima in 2018. Originally from Argentina, Stefania gained her diploma in Architecture from Universidad Nacional de Tucuman in 2013. She has many years of work experience in several architectural firms in both Argentina and London, working in different sectors and styles.
Prior to joining the practice, Stefania was a key member in two prestigious practices in Argentina, working on contemporary residential and commercial projects. She moved to the UK in 2016 where she worked for two years at a prolific high-end residential firm that specialises in classical and traditional architecture. Stefania has a particular interest in creating interiors that are authentic, combining materials and textures in interesting ways. In her free time, she also enjoys digital illustrations.
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Project Architect
After completing her master’s degree in architecture at The University of Belgrade, Faculty of Architecture in 2008, Miljana worked as a teaching assistant in furniture, interior and lighting design at the University. At that time, she exhibited two of her furniture pieces at Salone del Mobile as part of the Young Balkan Designers platform. Miljana has been in the UK since 2013, developing substantial experience on high-end residential and retail projects in London, New York, and Seoul, earning her Part 3 qualification from the University of Westminster in 2020.
Miljana is passionate about an integrated approach to architecture and design, where all elements of a building – down to the door handle – work together to provoke emotional responses. She pursues carefully crafted, tactile and material spaces that are rooted in their functional, everyday uses with an awareness of their surroundings and time.
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Associate
Daniel is a qualified architect with over 12 years experience working in the UK & Japan on a wide range of projects at a variety of scales, from large public buildings to bespoke furniture commissions.Daniel studied at the Bartlett School of Architecture (UCL), where he cultivated a deep interest in the process of making. Through his work, Daniel likes to explore the intersection of digital and traditional craft.
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Finance Manager
Sejal joined Studio Tashima in 2014. She is the Finance Manager responsible for all financial activities supporting the practice.
Prior to joining, Sejal gained valuable experience in small to medium sized companies across different market sectors, including her role as senior accountant at mid-tier accounting and assurance firms. Sejal is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.
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Project Architect
Charlotte joined Studio Tashima in 2020 and is a qualified architect, registered with the ARB. Having graduated from Manchester School of Architecture under the atelier ‘Continuity in Architecture’ in 2014, she went on to study her Part III at the University of Westminster and qualified in 2016.Charlotte has worked in a wide range of sectors, including high-end residential, office, mixed-use, hotels and music centres and has experience across the RIBA stages, working with listed and existing buildings, and new builds. Charlotte has a particular interest in how the history of a place is told through its architecture, where each layer added is a new chapter in a building’s story.