Ray Gordon

Ray Gordon is a practicing architect licensed in Hawaii and New York State, specializing in designing residential and commercial projects on Kauai, Hawaii. For over 40 years, Ray has worked extensively in private business, government projects and academia. As a partner in his own architectural firm as well as a senior designer with a number of other firms, he participated in major multi-use developments as well as historical restoration projects in the New York City area. His professional career includes work in both the USA and Japan. Ray’s prior design experience included a partnership in a Manhattan architectural firm, work with one of the leading historic restoration architects in New York, an urban designer with HLW/Planning Partnership, a designer with the Pratt Center for Community & Environmental Development, and the founder of a graphic design and publication firm in New York City. Ray also served as an urban design consultant to the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation, providing technical assistance to developing countries, including a two-year assignment consulting with four city and state governments in Nigeria on large-scale development, zoning and environmental regulation. Ray was a senior project manager at a leading environmental sciences firm in New York responsible for creating environmental impact statements for large-scale projects in the Northeastern United States. He also is an expert on waterfront construction, having served as a project manager with NYC’s Waterfront Development Group on several high-profile properties. Ray is also co-founder of The Courage Group, a company that provides urban design, photography, film production, graphic design, marketing and social media consulting services. Ray spent 13 years doing business in Japan, living in Yokohma and Tokyo. Prior to founding the Courage Group in 2002, he was an art director with two of Japan’s top advertising agencies. His professional photography has been exhibited widely in both Japan as well as the United States. A native of New York City, Ray earned Bachelor of Architecture and Masers of City & Regional Planning degrees from New York’s renowned Pratt Institute. For over 17 years, Ray was a professor on the graduate faculty of both Pratt Institute as well as New York University. He also lectured regularly to graduate students at Columbia University’s architecture program. He has co-authored a number of books, including Understanding Infrastructure, and the Guide to Tokyo Architecture.  An avid tennis player with a commitment to physical fitness, Ray lives with his wife Linda on the beautiful Garden Island of Kauai.