The Judges

Dr. Acharawan Chutara

Dr. Acharawan Chutarat is a lecturer and a former chairperson of Architecture Program at School of Architecture + Design, KMUTT (King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi), Bangkok. She is a head of Design for Environmental and Sustainable Development (D/E/S Lab). In parallel, she is a lighting designer at BioArchitek, working on various projects for government, private sectors, communities, local and international organizations. She has received a Bachelor Degree in Architecture, Master of Science in Lighting from Penn State University, and Ph.D. from MIT with specialization in daylight and visual perception. She has been serving for many non-profit organizations such as Thai Illuminating Engineering Association (TIEA), Lux Pacifica, Thai Green Building Institute (TGBI), ARCASIA Committee on Green and Sustainable Architecture. She has been a guest lecturer for distanced lighting design program at Wismar, Germany and an adjunct professor at Woxsen University, India. She is also a member of Lighting Detective Group.

Bianca Gortárez Hernández

With a solid background in architecture, lighting, and museography, obtained from the Universidad Iberoamericana, the Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña, and the Instituto Europeo de Design, complemented by certifications in DIALux and international experience in lighting projects, Bianca stand out as a versatile and committed professional. Her career encompasses leadership roles in lighting companies and independent collaborations in architectural and design projects. As director and project leader at Difuso, she have made a significant impact on projects in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, showcasing her ability to manage teams and meet the highest quality standards. Furthermore, Bianca’s passion for education is evident in her experience as a teacher at institutions such as Centro and UNAM, where she has shared her knowledge in lighting and coordinated specialties in this field. As an official DIALux certifier for Mexico, and with proficiency in various languages and digital tools, Bianca strives to impart my expertise to the new generations of design and architecture professionals.

David McNeil

David McNeil is a respected Partner at dpa lighting consultants, a prominent international and independent practice with a strong presence in the UAE for fifty years. David was instrumental in setting up the Dubai studio over two decades ago. With a career devoted to the artistry of lighting design, David has garnered respect for his pragmatic yet sophisticated approach and contribution to many internally recognised and award winning projects.

His expertise lies in finding the delicate balance between creativity and practicality, infusing each project with a unique blend of aesthetic appeal and functional excellence. Whether illuminating a skyscraper or enhancing the ambiance of a cultural institution, David's work reflects a keen understanding of how lighting can transform spaces and elevate experiences.

David is also acutely focused on ensuring that dpa remains at the pinnacle of lighting innovation and creativity moving into a new boom of growth and transformation in the Middle East and beyond.

Manish Gulati

Manish Gulati, an Architect alumni of CEPT, Ahmedabad, started his career in the Events and exhibition industry. He moved from there as a creative director, to start his own firm, MOFA Studios. Under his leadership, they have won multiple awards, special mentions and competitions. Their works have been published widely in leading design journals and are counted amongst the top firms of India. They have established themselves as specialists in the design of Public Spaces and Institutional buildings and their works range from large stadiums to Private Homes, Humanitarian research projects and Public Art installations.

Their work translates from an intense stimulation invigorated by life itself. Each project undertaken by the firm goes through exhaustive research and interactions to eventually derive intuitive spaces. Manish believes that a sustainable ideology can never be an isolated entity and should be a part of an all-inclusive process of design. His forte and driving passion till date remains design & innovation. He believes through design we can provide solutions to any problem in the world.

Mariana G. Figueiro

Mariana G. Figueiro, Ph.D., is Mount Sinai Professor of Light and Health Research at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Director of the Light and Health Research Center (LHRC). Dr. Figueiro is well known for her research on the effects of light on human health, circadian photobiology, and lighting for older adults. She holds a bachelor's in architectural engineering from the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and a master's in lighting and a doctorate in multidisciplinary science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Her master's and Ph.D. dissertation research focused on the human circadian response to light.

In addition to performing basic research investigating the impact of light on physiology, Dr. Figueiro conducts field studies examining the impact of circadian-effective lighting in office spaces and works in nursing homes and assisted living facilities to use light to improve sleep, mood, and behavior in Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment patients. She also works with Mount Sinai physicians to improve the lives of those undergoing cancer treatments and who are suffering from Parkinson's disease and other neurological diseases. Among many other projects, she is field-testing novel lighting systems to reduce falls.

Dr. Figueiro is a Fellow of the Illuminating Engineering Society (FIES) and the author of more than 140 scientific articles in her field of research. She has brought attention to the significance of light and health as a topic of public interest through her TEDMED talk. 

Roger Narboni

Trained as an artist and an electronical engineer, Roger Narboni founded in 1988, CONCEPTO lighting design studio. Former President of the company until 2023, he is now a freelance lighting designer.

He launched in 1987 the Light Urbanism discipline, invented the Lighting Master Plan methodology (with more than 150 studies worldwide).

In 2011, he created the new methodology of dark infrastructures studies (with 30 studies realized), to rediscover the role that darkness can play in cities for human beings and for the preservation of the biodiversity.

Roger realized around 300 landscape, urban, heritage and architectural lightings worldwide. He makes prospective research about the future of urban lighting and manage since 2024, a Think Tank dedicated to the future of the profession for the French Association of lighting designers (ACE).

Author of many books on lighting and science-fiction novels, he just received the LIT “lifetime achievement” lighting Award 2023.

Uno Lai

Uno Lai is one of the influential lighting designers in Asia, and the principal of UNOLAI Lighting Design & Associates (ULDA), which he established in New York in 2005. A practicing lighting designer for nearly two decades, Uno draws inspiration from a lively creative professional background including photography, theatre and interior design. Uno’s work has received media attention and lighting design awards from organizations both at home and abroad. He has long been promoting the general appreciation of lighting design by public lecture, article and online session.

In 2015, Uno opened UnoLab as an ambitious, future-driven exploration of new lighting frontiers, rethinking the role of light in human life. His conceptual lighting art installations have been featured in festivals and exhibitions around the world. Uno is launching his new lifestyle brand—Unolife in 2023, Unolife is an innovative lifestyle brand that embodies the spirit of California surf culture.