Honor the Legacy of Tim Kobe
Visionary designer, dedicated ArtCenter College of Design Trustee and alumnus Tim Kobe (BFA 82 Environmental Design), co-founder and CEO of Eight Inc., and a defining voice in spatial experience design, has passed away.
Kobe was an icon, and he believed deeply in design’s power to shape human experience, connect cultures and improve how people move through the world.
“The most effective design occurs by focusing on how it impacts people.”
— Tim Kobe
One of the most personal expressions of Kobe's design philosophy is the Eight Inc. Endowed Scholarship in Memory of Akira Kimura at ArtCenter College of Design. He established this scholarship in 2000 with friend and business partner Wilhelm Oehl (BS 94 Environmental Design) to honor and remember his classmate and friend Akira Kimura (BS 80 Environmental Design), who passed away in 1997. In creating the scholarship, Kobe did what he did best: He designed a way to make a lasting impact on people.
By supporting students who strive for excellence and approach their work with empathy and humanity, this scholarship transforms remembrance into opportunity, reflecting Kobe's deep belief in the power of design education to change the world.
Now, we honor Kobe in the same way he honored Kimura: by designing a pathway for impact. Gifts to the newly renamed Eight Inc. Endowed Scholarship in Memory of Akira Kimura and Tim Kobe extend the reach of his vision by linking design, friendship, opportunity and the power to change the world.
Your gift honors Kobe’s life and legacy by investing in designers who will carry their shared values into the future and create a better world for us all.
“If you look at all the problems that we have today in the world, we’ve essentially created all of them—which means we can create solutions to fix them.”
— Tim Kobe
My scholarship made me feel recognized for my hard work and encouraged me to keep going. It helped me manage both financial pressure and personal challenges—and reminded me that I’m not alone. One day, I hope to help others in the same way I have been supported.”
Candice Yao (BS 25 Spatial Experience Design)Fall 2025 Valedictorian and recipient of the Eight Inc. Endowed Scholarship in Memory of Akira Kimura
Candice Yao's designs are inspired by curiosity and the joy of sketching—that moment when initial ideas coalesce from spontaneous lines on paper. Yao believes great design is rooted in empathy and creates spaces that genuinely connect people and foster lasting impressions. Her The Neighborhood Collection project helps teams reconnect in hybrid work environments. It uses customizable parts—shelves, roof baffles, doors, planters—to allow teams to design their own “house” within a shared community.
