Global Planning Leader Yogesh Saoji Elevated to AICP College of Fellows
Global Planning Leader Yogesh Saoji Elevated to AICP College of Fellows
(New York, March 17, 2026) – DLR Group Principal and Global Planning Leader Yogesh Saoji, FAICP, AIA, has been elected to the American Institute of Certified Planners College of Fellows, the profession’s highest honor. Recognized for exceptional contributions to planning practice and service, he joins a select group of planners whose careers have made a lasting impact on communities and the built environment. He will be inducted at a ceremony on April 26 at the APA National Planning Conference, where he will also present strategies for decarbonizing public real estate portfolios.
An architect, planner, and urban designer, Saoji has spent his career leading complex, multi-stakeholder planning projects with private, municipal, state, and federal clients across the country and internationally. His three decades of transdisciplinary work have prepared higher education campuses for the 21st century, catalyzed communities with transit-oriented developments, revitalized state capitol districts and downtowns, and advanced equity through community-centered planning and design.
His projects span a remarkable range of scale and impact. The Augusta State Facilities Plan aligned Maine’s Capitol District real estate portfolio with the state’s Climate Action Plan. A once-in-a-decade comprehensive campus plan for California State University, Long Beach, established a capital investment road map to support student success. His leadership of the firm’s pro bono work with Historically Black Colleges and Universities secured over $750K in preservation planning grants – reflecting a deep conviction that planning can honor community heritage while improving the lives of underserved communities. Under his leadership, DLR Group earned an APA National Planning Award for equity-centered planning with the Austin Independent School District.
“My induction into the AICP College of Fellows reflects the teammates, clients, and communities I’ve had the privilege of partnering with throughout my career,” Saoji said. “Great planning happens through collaboration, and I am grateful to everyone who has shaped my work and helped advance
DLR Group’s planning and urban design practice.”
Saoji’s work has earned recognition from APA, AIA, SCUP, CNU, and other allied organizations. Guided by an enduring commitment to equity and sustainability, he actively serves the profession through awards juries, committees, and leadership roles, and frequently shares insights at national conferences. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated outstanding leadership in advancing the public good, promoting equity, building consensus, and inspiring the next generation of planners and urban designers.
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