James is the principal steward for Yale’s physical environment. He oversees campus planning and landscape architecture as well as the implementation of facilities and sustainability standards that inform the design of construction projects.
Prior to joining Yale, James served as the University Architect at Washington University where he led wide-ranging developments, including the transformation of the east end of the Danforth Campus—an 18-acre project totaling more than $365 million. Spanning his 23-year career at Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates, where he was principal, James led a team that managed projects ranging from individual buildings to campus precincts and global contexts.
He received a B.A. in architecture from Columbia University and an M.Arch from Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. He is a registered architect, certified via the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, a LEED Accredited Professional, and a fellow of the American Institute of Architects.