We would like to congratulate our Director of Process, Satoko Muratake, on her 9th anniversary with TEN x TEN!

Satoko has shared her favorite parts of working for TxT, along with some other fun facts:

I am passionate about collaborating with visionary clients, community partners, and design teams to envision a sustainable and equitable future. Through urban design visioning projects, my focus has been on establishing a public realm and enhancing connectivity. These efforts are key to reimagining future development with equity and sustainability at the forefront. My work actively honors the aspirations of the community, city, and university, all of whom are committed to adopting forward-thinking urban design strategies.

What is your favorite rock? I love the sandstone found around here—often just beneath the Platteville limestone layers on the bluffs. It’s soft, sculptable, and easy to access. My daughter and I enjoy picking up pieces to carve and create little sculptures together. There’s something grounding and joyful about working with a material shaped by time, yet pliable enough for small hands and big imaginations.

Where do you enjoy spending time outside? I often walk through the forest thinking about creative ways to use invasive species—not just as a means of control, but as an opportunity for connection and celebration. Lately, I’ve been experimenting with making ink and natural dye from buckthorn berries, brewing tea from harvested fishmint, and turning garlic mustard into pesto. It’s a playful, communal way to engage with the land—transforming ecological challenges into shared rituals of care and curiosity.

What are your favorite natural landscape features? I grew up near Mt. Fuji and was surrounded by mountains of all sizes, so I often find myself missing verticality in the landscape. Mountains constantly shift in character—the way sunlight moves across their faces, how the air dances around them, and how their forms change depending on your vantage point. Here in Minnesota, I find a similar sense of majesty in the limestone bluffs along the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers. Their presence evokes the same quiet awe—a grounded verticality shaped by time, water, and light.