The Vision Awards Jury

The Vision Awards Jury comprises practitioners and thought leaders from the worlds of architecture, design, technology and media, each with a special connection to reimagining our built environment. The jury includes leaders who are bringing forward-looking architecture to the public today, either through their extraordinary designs, built projects or imagery. For entrants and winners, this is an opportunity to get your work in front of people who are shaping the future of architecture — from concept to completed work.

Become a juror →

Daniel Libeskind

Founder and Principal Architect, Studio Libeskind

Polish-American architect Daniel Libeskind is a globally recognized figure in architecture and urban design. Guided by a deep passion for music, philosophy, and literature, Libeskind creates architecture that is emotionally resonant, innovative, and sustainable.
As Principal Design Architect of Studio Libeskind, he leads a multidisciplinary practice engaged in a wide range of projects worldwide. The studio’s portfolio includes museums, concert halls, convention centers, university campuses, hotels, shopping complexes, and residential towers.
Libeskind is also a prominent voice in the field, frequently speaking at universities and professional conferences on the art and impact of architecture. His work and ideas have been featured in numerous exhibitions and publications, shaping contemporary architectural discourse and influencing the evolution of cities and cultural spaces.
He has received numerous accolades for his contributions, including the Goethe Medal, the Hiroshima Peace Prize, the Dresden Peace Prize, and the European Union Prize for Civil Rights.Read less

Keely Colcleugh

Founder and CEO, Kilograph

Keely is the founder of Kilograph and Kilograph SL. She is a designer with more than 20 years experience in the fields of architectural design, visual effects, brand design and exhibition design. Keely is member of the executive committee at the A+D museum, past president of the ASAI and serves on the juries of Architizer and the Architecture Master Prize awards annually.Read less

Steven Holl

Founding Principal, Steven Holl Architects

Steven Holl has realized projects both in the United States and internationally including the Chapel of St. Ignatius, Seattle, Washington (1997); the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, Finland (1998); Simmons Hall at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts (2002); the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri (2007); the Horizontal Skyscraper, Shenzhen, China (2009), the Herning Museum of Contemporary Art, Herning, Denmark (2009); the Linked Hybrid, Beijing, China (2009); Cité de l’Océan et du Surf, Biarritz, France (2011); Reid Building at the Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow, Scotland (2014); the University of Iowa, Visual Arts Building, Iowa City, Iowa (2016); the Lewis Arts complex at Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey (2017); Maggie’s Centre Barts, London, United Kingdom (2017); the Institute for Contemporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia (2018); the Glassell School of Art for the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas (2018); The REACH, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington D.C. (2019); Hunters Point Library, Queens Public Library, New York (2019); the Nancy and Rich Kinder Building, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas (2020); Cofco Cultural and Health Center in Shanghai, China (2021), the Rubenstein Commons at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey (2022), and Meander Housing in Helsinki, Finland (2024).
Steven Holl received the 2016 VELUX Daylight Award in Architecture, the 2014 Praemium Imperiale International Arts Award for Architecture, the 2012 AIA Gold Medal, the 2010 RIBA Jencks Award, and the first ever Arts Award of the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Awards in 2009.
Steven Holl is a tenured Professor at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. He has also taught at the University of Washington, Pratt Institute, and the University of Pennsylvania.Read less

Carlotta Cominetti

Co-Founder, VirginLemon

Carlotta is the Co-founder of Virginlemon, a visual communication studio specialised in architecture, winner of the 1st Architizer One Rendering Challenge.
She holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Politecnico di Milano in Italy. In 2013, she moved to Paris to begin her career and worked for several design firms as concept developer and 3D artist.
Since then she collaborates daily with Architects, developers and artists worldwide to create expressive images and animations, and joined global CGI events as a speaker on the topic of narrative in architectural visualization.Read less

Sanjay Puri

Principal, Sanjay Puri Architects

Sanjay Puri is the principal architect of Sanjay Puri Architects, a firm that was established in 1992 & has won over 360 international awards. Sanjay graduated in 1988 from the Academy of Architecture, Mumbai & has been on the jury of several competitions including the World Architecture Festival , Architizer New York, Inde Awards Australia, Dezeen Awards U.K. & Architectural Review Awards U.K. Sanjay has been a speaker at numerous architectural & design events in London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Singapore, Barcelona, Venice & Milan. With a current firm strength of 108 architects & designers, Sanjay Puri Architects have ongoing projects in 54 Indian cities currently. The current projects include master planning, Architecture, Interior design, event design & product design across various typologies. Read less

Amaury Greig

Partner / Director of Operations, Renzo Piano Building Workshop

Amaury Greig earned degrees in Geography from the University of Victoria BC, and in Political Science from the Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences-Po) before completing his studies in Architecture at the University of British Columbia. After gaining professional experience in Canada and France, he joined the Workshop in 2012, where he played a key role on the Paris Courthouse project, from design phases to its completion in 2017.
In 2016, Amaury served as the Lead Architect for the New Toronto Courthouse competition, overseeing the project through to the final delivery. Over the years, he has led high-profile competitions and projects across Europe and North America.
In 2022, he was appointed Director of Operations taking on a firm-wide role overseeing the Workshop’s operations, communications, and business development. Amaury was named Partner in 2024.Read less

Andres Ramirez

Founder, PLANESITE

Andrés F. Ramirez is a Colombian writer, curator, film-maker and cultural producer, working in the realm of architecture, urban planning and media. He is the co-founder and Managing Director of PLANE–SITE, an agency devoted to the production and dissemination of original content about the built environment. At PLANE–SITE , he leads a wide-range of projects –from exhibitions and publications, to design competitions and international conferences. Andrés is currently pursuing a PhD in Urban Planning at UCLA.Read less

Katherine Chia

Co-Founder, Desai Chia Architecture

Katherine Chia FAIA is a founding principal of Desai Chia Architecture. Since 1996, she and her partner & husband, Arjun Desai, have established the firm’s reputation for authentic design, creating inspiring environments expressive of light, materials, and spaces that foster collaboration. Desai Chia’s projects have been published extensively and received many accolades including numerous AIA Design Awards and American Architecture Awards, numerous Interior Design Best of Year Awards, and an AIA Institute Honor Award. In 2018, ARCHITECT Magazine ranked Desai Chia Architecture #19 in the nation for Design. The book “The Women Who Changed Architecture” by Princeton Architectural Press included Katherine and her work in the chapter titled “Raising the Roof.”
Katherine grew up in New York State and Belgium. She earned her Master of Architecture degree from M.I.T. and received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Amherst College. Prior to founding Desai Chia Architecture, she worked for Maya Lin on numerous art and architecture commissions. She is a Trustee Emerita of Amherst College, a board member of the International Center of Photography, a board member at the Center for Architecture, and a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects.Read less

Pietro Chiodi

Partner and Director, Stefano Boeri Architetti

Pietro Chiodi graduated in 2003 from La Sapienza University of Architecture in Rome having also studied for a year at KU University in Leuven, Belgium. After being awarded his PhD in Environmental Design and Construction in 2008, he taught at the Faculty of Architecture of Rome as a Professor in 2011. Since September 2008 he has worked as Senior Architect/Project leader for the firm Stefano Boeri Architetti and in August 2016 he moved to Shanghai as Chief architect of Stefano Boeri Architetti China. Among the several projects, he followed the realization of the Sino-Italy Design Center in Beijing, the Nanjing Vertical Forest and the Vertical Forest in Huanggang. From October 2021 he moved back to Milan as Director; since 2023, he has become a partner of Stefano Boeri Architetti. He has publicly presented his projects and realised site-specific installations for several international exhibitions, such as the XXIII World Congress UIA in Turin, the 5th Brasilia Biennal of Architecture and the 11th Venice Architecture Biennale.Read less

Lauren Hood

Founder, Institute for AfroUrbanism

Lauren Hood is a Detroit based urbanist, cultural researcher, and founder of the Institute for AfroUrbanism. Her work explores the intersection of design, consciousness, and spatial transformation, asking what conditions ignite human thriving.
An Assistant Professor of Practice at the University of Michigan’s Taubman College, she challenges conventional planning by centering memory, ancestral intelligence, and cultural coherence as essential design forces. She is the creator of the Black Thriving Index, a multi-city research initiative examining how environment and lived experience shape collective well-being.
Through garments, objects, and space, Hood approaches design as a language of intention: subtle, sovereign, and future-facing.Read less

Daniel Sundlin

Partner, BIG Bjarke Ingels Group

Daniel Sundlin’s approach to design is anchored in holistic thinking, focusing on the synergies between community, economy, ecology, and sustainability. His design expertise spans various scales, from product design, interiors, and architecture to master planning. Daniel joined BIG Copenhagen in 2008, and in 2010, he opened BIG’s first office outside Denmark by establishing BIG New York. As a Partner at BIG, he has worked on The Heights Public School in Arlington, Virginia; VIA 57 West in Manhattan; Wildflower Film Studios in New York City; and the sustainable Google Bay View campus in California. His work also extends to the urban scale, including the East Side Coastal Resiliency project (BIG U), a master plan to protect 10 miles of Manhattan’s coastline. His urban design projects span the globe, including Penang South Islands in Malaysia and OCEANIX Busan, a sustainable floating city prototype in collaboration with the United Nations. In addition to his professional work, Daniel is involved in academia as a guest critic at various universities and as an instructor at the New York Institute of Technology.Read less

Claudia Pasquero

Founder, ecoLogicStudio

Prof. Claudia Pasquero is a leading architect and researcher developing climate-active systems that merge biology, computation, and design. Her team is internationally recognized for pioneering work in photosynthetic architecture and synthetic landscapes, built environments that capture CO₂, purify air, and produce biomass while promoting urban wellbeing.
Through the research platform PhotoSynthetica™, a collaboration between ecoLogicStudio, the University of Innsbruck (UIBK), and University College London (UCL), she and her team have developed algae-based façades, canopies, and pavilions that function as living infrastructures, contributing directly to carbon sequestration and urban air purification. These projects, including installations at the Venice Architecture Biennale, COP26, and the Centre Pompidou, demonstrate architecture’s potential as a regenerative force.
Her team’s research challenges conventional design paradigms by redefining aesthetics as ecological intelligence, the visible performance of adaptive, multispecies systems. In the books Systemic Architecture: Operating Manual for the Self-Organizing City (Routledge, 2012) and BioDesign in the Age of AI: DeepGreen (Routledge, 2023), co-authored with Dr. Marco Poletto, she explores how architecture can evolve from static form into dynamic, biosynthetic infrastructure.
Her team’s design philosophy is rooted in the belief that cities must be rewilded. By embedding living organisms and photosynthetic systems into the built environment, architecture can be transformed into a tool for planetary regeneration. Their work offers scalable solutions, from indoor CO₂-absorbing prototypes to city-wide bio-integrated systems, equipping architecture to address the challenges of the climate crisis.
At an institutional level, Prof. Pasquero holds the Chair of Landscape Architecture at the University of Innsbruck, where she founded the Synthetic Landscape Lab and currently serves as Head of the Institute of Urban Design. She is the Co-Founder, with Dr. Marco Poletto, of ecoLogicStudio, a world-renowned design innovation practice based in London and Torino since 2005. Prof. Pasquero is also an RC16 Tutor and founder of the Urban Morphogenesis Lab at The Bartlett, UCL. Her research and practice operateRead less

András Dušan Onodi

Founder and CEO, ZOA Studio

Co-founder and CEO of ZOA since 2005. I started immersing myself in archviz during my University years and founded ZOA alongside with Máté Hámori just after graduating. Took most of the technical knowledge from a friend working in VFX production. Having a family background in filming and Television: creating films and animations was a thing from ZOA's day one.Read less

Hamid Hassanzadeh

Founder and CEO, Parametric Architecture

Hamid Hassanzadeh is an architect, entrepreneur, and researcher dedicated to advancing the intersection of technology and architecture. As the Founder & CEO of ParametricArchitecture (PA), he has built one of the most influential platforms in the field, connecting designers, architects, and enthusiasts worldwide through cutting-edge computational design, AI, and digital fabrication. Today, PA reaches over 20 million people monthly, serving as a hub for design innovation and thought leadership. Beyond PA, he established PAACADEMY, an educational initiative offering specialized training for architects and designers eager to master computational tools. Through workshops, interviews, and conferences, Hamid helps professionals navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of digital architecture. As the host of PA Talks, he has interviewed some of the most renowned architects and designers, fostering discussions on innovation, design methodologies, and the future of architecture.Read less

Krista Jahnke

Architectural Photographer, Krista Jahnke Photography

One of Canada’s leading architectural photographers, working with renowned architects and designers throughout North America.Read less

Alex Hogrefe

Creator, Visualizing Architecture; Co-founder, Design Distill

Alex is the creator of visualizingarchitecture.com, a website that explores architectural graphics and representational techniques. He is also the co-founder of Design Distill, an Architectural 3D rendering studio located in Boston, MA that specializes in highly diversified projects ranging from large city and university master planning images down to bespoke interior spaces. These days when he is not in his Boston office, Alex can be found up on the Maine coast developing his carpentry skills.Read less

Vishaan Chakrabarti

Founder and Creative Director, PAU

With over thirty years of experience delivering award-winning architecture, Vishaan Chakrabarti is the Founder of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism | PAU, where he leads the firm’s growing portfolio including the redesign of New York’s Pennsylvania Station; the design of the FAA’s new air traffic control tower prototype; the expansion of Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum; Indianapolis’ new multi-modal Wave Bridge; Brooklyn’s Domino Sugar Refinery; Philadelphia’s Schuylkill Yards; and Princeton's Hobson College. Chakrabarti has focused his practice on rebuilding American communities both across our heartland and in our cities. Chakrabarti’s work was been awarded the American Architecture Award, the Miller Prize, the A+ Award, and the Edmund N. Bacon Award in recognition of his design leadership. Recently he was appointed by Lord Norman Foster to be a Trustee of his Foundation. Prior to founding PAU, Chakrabarti was a principal at major architecture firms including Skidmore, Owings & Merril, and served as the President of Moynihan Station Venture—a joint venture of Vornado Realty Trust and The Related Companies—charged with rebuilding Moynihan Station. After the tragic events of 9/11, Chakrabarti helped to rebuild the World Trade Center site in his role as Manhattan Planning Director for the City of New York.Read less

Bless Yee

Project Architect, DLR Group

Bless Yee was the Non-Student Grand Prize Winner of 2020’s One Drawing Challenge, and was one of the winners of Dezeen's 2021 Redesign the World competition. She is an architect, artist, and educator based in Washington, D.C. Currently, Bless is an Project Architect in the Cultural & Performing Arts Sector at DLR Group and is an adjunct professor at Parsons the New School for Design. She has also worked at Snøhetta, Handel Architects, and Pei Cobb Freed & Partners. In her personal work she is developing methods of layering hand drawing and physical models with digital tools to depict compelling narratives of social issues.Read less

Filip Kurasz

Founding Partner and Art Director, ELEMENT

Filip Kurasz is a dynamic creative, juggling roles as an artist, art director, and architect. Inspired by childhood passions and fueled by an entrepreneurial spirit, has co-guided ELEMENT Studio to the forefront of Archviz over the past decade and now became a proud co-founder of the World Visualization Festival - WVF. His knack for pushing boundaries earned him titles like Architectural Visualizer of the Year 2023 and nods from the Architizer A+ Awards. When he's not crafting masterpieces, Filip enjoys tackling obstacle races and finding joy in family adventures. Always striving for the next creative challenge, he brings a touch of lightheartedness to everything he does.Read less

Sabina Blasiotti

Creative Director, Sabi Space

Sabina Blasiotti is a London-based architectural designer with roots in Pescara, Italy, where she grew up. Sabina's passion for design led her to London, where she graduated from the University of Westminster (BA) and Bartlett UCL (MArch). Sabina gained valuable experience working at renowned architecture firms, including BIG in London and Kengo Kuma in Tokyo, Japan, before founding her own practice, Sabi Space. Sabina's work is a testament to her intuition, extensive research, and passion for taking on challenging projects. Her projects have garnered international recognition, including accolades from Azure Magazine, Architizer, and UCL, and have been exhibited in prestigious venues such as the Royal Academy, Sir John Soane's Museum, and RIBA HQ. Sabina's commitment to design and architecture goes beyond her professional work. She is currently continuing her studies and teaches as a guest critic and lecturer, taking on the responsibility of promoting progress within the field.Read less

Jakub Figel

Founding Partner, ELEMENT

Jakub Figel is a powerhouse connecting the worlds of art and architecture. His entrepreneurial drive leads him down unconventional paths, co-founding the World Visualization Festival (WVF) and spearheading ELEMENT Visualization Studio to become a recognizable figure in Archviz for over a decade. Jakub’s achievements include prestigious titles like Architectural Visualization Studio and Visualization of the Year 2023 and a Special Mention at the Architizer A+ Awards.Read less

Amanda Ferber

Founder, Architecture Hunter

Considered by Feedspot as the #1 among the top 125 architectural influencers in the world, the Brazilian architect Amanda Ferber is the founder of Architecture Hunter, one of the largest architecture pages on Instagram in the world, with almost 3 million followers. In 2018, the architect was featured on the cover of the Italian magazine Beesness as 'the architects’ influencer”, representing young women in the business world. In 2019, at the age of 24, Amanda entered the prestigious Forbes 30 Under 30 list.
During her academic life, Amanda worked at studioMK27, led by the internationally renowned Marcio Kogan, as well as on important architecture platforms. Besides being a jury member of different international architecture awards, and the ambassador of Morpholio, Amanda has traveled the world giving lectures on how to turn Instagram into a strategic tool for architects and designers. @amanda_ferber @architecture_hunterRead less

Dan Hogman

Architect, SmithGroup

As an architect, artist, and educator, Dan has developed the capacity to blend digital and traditional media in developing architectural concepts and has exhibited with the SFMOMA, the AIA, and numerous private galleries. Apart from his multidisciplinary design practice, Dan serves as faculty at the AAU San Francisco teaching design and drawing studios.Read less

Oliver Uszkurat

Founder, Upstairs

Oliver Uszkurat is an architect, educator, and founder of Upstairs, an international platform focused on architectural representation and visualization. His work centers on how architects communicate ideas through images, diagrams, and visual narratives, treating representation as an essential part of the design process.
Through courses, workshops, and long-form educational content, Oliver has supported architecture students and professionals worldwide in developing clearer and more intentional visual communication skills. In addition to teaching, he collaborates with architecture offices on competition entries and design presentations, contributing through renderings, diagrams, and overall visual strategy.
Oliver has lectured internationally, participated as a guest portfolio reviewer, and contributed to architectural competitions across different contexts. His perspective combines academic foundations, professional experience, and a strong focus on visual clarity in architecture.Read less

Ema Peter

Founder, Ema Peter Photography

Based in Vancouver, Ema Peter Photography was founded in 2005 to bring Ema’s creative vision to architectural photography. Ema’s training in both the visual arts and photojournalism, with experience at the Magnum Photo Agency in Paris, created the foundations for her approach to lighting and composition.
With over 20+ years of experience and shear determination, she has photographed internationally renowned projects and received countless awards.
Ema deeply believes that a space has life and she makes it her mission to harness that character in every photograph.Read less

Bennett Oh

Content Creator, Archi Hacks

Bennett is the content creator at Archi Hacks and Arch Hive, two organizations dedicated to reinventing the early stages of architectural career paths. Through these platforms, he provides a means for architects and designers to showcase their work and discover new opportunities. Bennett's past experience includes employment at offices such as BIG, OMA, and 3XN, where he was involved in numerous conceptual and built works around the globe.Read less

Mengyi Fan

Director of Visualization, SHoP Architects

Mengyi is currently the Director of Visualization at SHoP Architects. She has worked in multiple roles of expertise in the architectural field with a focus on the New York metropolitan area, ranging from lighting design for major infrastructural projects to creating exhibitions that utilize social media as a design tool.
For the last 11 years at SHoP Architects, Mengyi has played a role in almost every project at the firm, using visualization and emerging technology as design tools to realize SHoP’s architectural vision. Notable projects include Barclays Center and 111 W57th Street in New York, Uber’s new headquarters in San Francisco, and Detroit Hudson’s downtown revival.
She is also a co-organizer of 3DNY, working together with architecture, visualization and VFX studios to promote diversity and facilitate conversations among different fields.Read less

Luca Bussolino

Partner, Head of Strategy & Innovation, Carlo Ratti Associati

Luca is a trained architect and licensed engineer. He completed his Master in Architecture in September 2018, obtaining a double master degree with honors at Politecnico di Torino and Politecnico di Milano. Luca joined CRA in December 2018. Since late 2019 he is part of the Strategy and Innovation team.
In 2022 he became Head of Strategy and Innovation for the firm, managing the team in charge of developing future projects and the long-term strategy of CRA – Carlo Ratti Associati. During his studies, he spent one year in Paris, at ENSA La Villette, and a semester at TU Delft, in The Netherlands. He holds a post-degree Diploma in Innovation Management from the highly selective Alta Scuola Politecnica which led him to deal with themes ranging from design thinking to industry 4.0. In June 2019, he completed his second humanitarian project in Cambodia, managing the process from needs evaluation to fundraising and building construction of a multi-family house in Sihanoukville.Read less

Vivien Liu

Founder, StudioUNIT

Vivien received her Masters of Architecture at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design, where she was awarded the prestigious Clifford Wong Prize in Housing Design. After 15 years in architecture, Vivien discovered a passion in photographing the urban density and built environment of Hong Kong and around the world.
She was accoladed due to her trained architectural eye that translates space into captivating visuals, gaining her a massive organic following on social media as well as the title of Best Female Photographer by #legend in 2017. In her early days, her work has consistently appeared on 10-Best features from popular publications such as ArchDaily, HK Tatler, TimeOut and South China Morning Post. Today, she is creating productions for leading architecture firms and developers on world-class, iconic buildings, including one by a Pritzker-winning architectural office.Read less

Karim Moussa

Filmmaker, Architect, Creative Director, Mozses

Karim Moussa is an Architect/Film maker/ex Taekwondo international champ. With over 20 years of experience in Art directing internationally recognized projects where he worked with several high profile architectural practices/developers/brands and designers like KPF, Zaha Hadid, BIG, SOM, Woods bagot...etc.. Concept communication and exploration of ideas define the core of Mozses work. Custom creation of visual directions, 3D animations and experiences to unfold different design identities and connect narratives. Emphasizing the fabric of every unique project aspect to have a fingerprint of its own. The expertise of art directing multicultural and diverse scale projects have been forged over the many years of work, dedication and experience.
Karim passion towards filmmaking and his expertise in 3D animation has led him to invest a lot of effort, time in translating his vision and experience in combining the art of storytelling, emotive visual experiences and building virtual worlds, providing an immersive storytelling experience throughout short movies and animations.Read less

Ismail Seleit

AI Influencer, Gendo AI

Ismail Seleit is a design architect specialising in design technology. With extensive experience in architecture and computational design, Ismail has contributed to diverse projects, ranging from design competitions to the realisation of buildings on various scales.
Actively supporting design teams, Ismail leverages his expertise in BIM and Computational Design to navigate complex challenges. His primary focus is on enabling project teams to achieve efficient, informed, and collaborative design outcomes. Collaborating across departments, Ismail works to implement innovative methodologies to manage the design process from urban planning to product scale.
Simultaneously, Ismail engages in applied research, exploring new opportunities for implementing cutting-edge design workflows. His research specifically focuses into the integration of generative AI image-generating tools, with a keen interest in the combination of Stable Diffusion and ControlNet. This unique approach offers various techniques for generating controlled image compositions based on diverse user-defined inputs.
Beyond his architectural pursuits, Ismail is an ambient-electronic music producer, with a focus on film scores. He has composed and produced soundtracks for architectural short films and contributed to the music and sound design of various independent films. Ismail's passion for creative thinking, coupled with his dedication to design problem-solving, continues to drive his multifaceted and innovative endeavours.Read less

Niknaz Aftahi

Founder, aecplustech, inc

Niknaz Aftahi is the CEO and founder of aec+tech, an all-in-one innovation platform and community that connects professionals in Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations (AEC/O) with cutting-edge tools and technologies. Before launching aec+tech, Niknaz worked as both a design professional and a design technology director at architecture firms in the Bay Area, California.
Niknaz is passionate about advancing technology and innovation in the AEC space and is a frequent speaker at national and international AEC-tech events. She serves on the AIA San Francisco Design Technology Committee and is a member of the AIA’s first-ever AI Task Force, a national initiative exploring how artificial intelligence will shape the future of architecture and the built environment.
In addition to her work in tech, Niknaz is committed to educational equity. She has developed and taught online architecture courses for Baháʼí students in Iran, who continue to be denied access to higher education in their home country.Read less

Simone Lapenta

Design Director and Director of Visualization, RIOS

Simone Lapenta is a Design Director and the Director of Visualization at RIOS, a global design collective based in Los Angeles. At the intersection of design and digital storytelling, Simone brings visions of unbuilt places to life, crafting striking narratives that seamlessly blend a refined digital aesthetic with evocative realism. Originally from Rome and with over 15 years of experience, Simone weaves cultural resonance and technical clarity into every image. His work reveals the essence of a space before it is built, inviting viewers to experience how it will look and feel and strengthening the aesthetic language and expressive power of architectural interventions.Read less

Ar. June Chow

Principal Architect, Founder, JUN Architect

Licensed architect based in Malaysia and AI specialist with expertise in Generative AI for architecture, urban design, and conceptual visualization. Trainer and consultant for architectural firms and academic institutions on AI-driven design workflows. Speaker at local and global forums and workshops on AI in architecture. Active on LinkedIn as one of the top 100 AI Creators.Read less

Duy Phan

Senior Visualizer, ERA-co

Duy is an artist based in Melbourne, Australia. Born and raised from the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam, Duy brings a unique perspective to his work, which focuses on capturing the essence of unbuilt architecture through portraiture.
Duy's dedication to his craft is evident in his experimentation with different techniques and styles, as he strives to keep up with the industry's top performers. Duy's hard work has garnered him numerous prestigious industry awards and accolades. He is also passionate about sharing his wealth of knowledge and expertise, serving on critique panels at the University of Melbourne and delivering insightful guest lectures at RMIT University.
During the week, Duy works as an illustrator at ERA-co, where he uses his expertise to bring new and exciting ideas to life. When he's not hard at work, Duy enjoys exploring the beautiful parks and gardens of Victoria, as well as maintaining a healthy work-life balance to fuel his creativity.Read less

Natasha Sandmeier

Assistant Adjunct Professor, UCLA

Natasha Sandmeier is an educator and leads the postgraduate Entertainment Studio at UCLA Architecture & Urban Design, and is Program Director of the MS.AUD. Her academic work and research straddles the worlds of architecture and visual storytelling. She was the Executive Director of the A+D Museum, Los Angeles from 2022-24. She is the author and editor of Little Worlds (London, 2014); a monograph of projects and essays re-examining the role of the architect within contemporary architectural culture. Natasha is an architect (NL registered) and founding partner of Office UR (OUR).Read less

Siarhei Kuratski

Art & Production Director, i d d q d Studio

Architect and Production Director with a Master's in Architecture and 10+ years of experience in architectural visualization and animation. At i d d q d Studio, leads art direction and project management. Actively builds relationships with leading architecture and development firms, bringing in projects from top-tier international offices. Has represented the studio at major industry conferences (such as the D2 Conference and WVF) and led complex visualization projects end-to-end. Deep expertise in translating architectural concepts into images and animations that make people stop, look, and remember.Read less

Linna Choi

Founder and Partner, OUALALOU+CHOI

Linna Choi is a co-founding Principal of OUALALOU + CHOI, an architecture and urban design practice with studios in Paris and Casablanca. Linna holds a Master in Architecture degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Design and a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from Yale University. She has served as a studio professor at the MIT School of Architecture and Planning, Rhode Island School of Design, Rice University, and the Università Iuav di Venezia School of Architecture. Linna is the recipient of numerous design awards, including the Rice Design Alliance Spotlight Prize, In/Arch Award, WA Award, AR Emerging Architecture Award, and was named as one of the “100 Architects of the Year” by the Korean Institute of Architects. With her partner Tarik Oualalou, Linna has published a monograph of the office’s work entitled "Territories of Disobedience" which examines the office’s body of work in the past twenty years.Read less

Thomas Schaller

Artist, Schaller Architectural and Fine Arts

Thomas W. Schaller is an internationally acclaimed artist, architect, and author based in New York City. In 2024 he was named the recipient of the Arthur Ross Award in Fine Arts by the Institute of Classical Art and Architecture, the 2024 Raphael Award, winner of the Ogden Pleissner Award by both the American Watercolor Society and the Salmagundi Art Club, and First Place Award winner in Watercolour International. A two-time winner of the prestigious Hugh Ferriss Memorial Prize, he also won the First Place Award in the Architizer One Drawing Competition. He is the author of three books, including the AIA Award-Winning Architecture in Watercolor. His latest, Architect of Light is published by Penguin Random House. His best-selling DVD, The Power of Design is published by Streamline Media. And his interactive online mentorship program “Design and the Power of Imagination” is hosted by Terracotta LLC. Tom is a signature member of many art groups around the world and is represented by Gallery 71 in New York City.Read less

Ricardo Eloy

Editor-In-Chief, CGconnect

Ricardo Eloy is an architect, seasoned marketing strategist and community leader currently overseeing community initiatives at Chaos. With extensive experience in the 3D visualization industry, he is the driving force behind CGconnect, a platform dedicated to the global design and visualization community.
Throughout his career, Rick has been a vocal advocate for the evolution of architectural visualization (archviz), focusing on how technology and community collaboration can elevate the standards of the craft. His work at Chaos and CGconnect centers on the core pillars of exploration, inspiration, and growth, helping professionals from all backgrounds navigate the rapidly changing landscape of digital design.
Based in São Paulo, Rick brings a global perspective to the 3D industry, balancing technical expertise with a deep understanding of the human connections that fuel creative excellence.Read less