Lighting Designers and Workshop Heads 2025

Philip has over 25 years of experience in lighting design, working on both macro and micro scales, on a wide variety of projects, ranging from airports to small public spaces to developing custom-designed luminaires and the intricacies of heritage projects.

Philip studied architecture at the University of East London where he developed a passion for working with light.

He joined Speirs Major Light Architecture in 1998 and became an Associate Partner in 2020, where he continues to work today.

Philip had the privilege of working with the late Jonathan Speirs on numerous projects, including the award-winning Bridge of Aspiration, London and Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan Mosque.

Other career highlights include being involved in the London 2012 Olympic Games, having a small project for Bow West VSA, realised, and the transformation of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park followed the games. Working on heritage projects of national importance, including Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s Cathedral, London, Norwich Cathedral, Norwich, UK and Pannonhalma Monastery, Pannonhalma, Hungary.

“I wanted to apply last year for the 25th Anniversary of Lights in Alingsås but was unable to, so being selected this year, hopefully, we can create something as special, and I will be able to share with the workshop attendees the knowledge I have gained from the years of experience I have as a lighting designer”, Philip says.

Roberto lives and works close to Venice. Educated as an architect, he also graduated with a master’s degree in Lighting Design, practising for several years in various scale projects in Italy and abroad.

In the architectural lighting field, his interests are focused on exploring the ways that light affects people’s environments. He serves as an adjunct professor in Lighting Design at Università Iuav di Venezia.

Roberto has been invited as a guest speaker at conferences and universities in several countries. He is a Registered Architect of Venice/I. He is a member in the composition of Italian National Association for Standardization (UNI) Technical Committee CT 023 Technical Body for “Light and Lighting”.

In his spare time, he paints with watercolor. He is also interested in travel, literature, arts, history and scientific research.

Third time’s a charm. Roberto participated in Lights in Alingsås in 2006 as a student and in 2015 as a Workshop Head. Now he will be back to share his passion for light, make a positive contribution to support an enthusiastic team of students.

Isabel is a lighting designer, strongly committed to the development of the lighting design profession, striving to strengthen the link between the research and professional worlds.

She began her journey studying in Chile industrial design with a focus on lighting and energy. This passion led her to Sweden, and later she pursued a Master’s degree in architectural lighting design.

She was honored to win the 2014 Swedish Lighting Design Prize for her work on the Kungliga Biblioteket Annexet (The National Library).

Currently, she works at White Arkitekter in Stockholm.  As a Senior Lighting Designer, she is responsible for projects from early feasibility studies to completion.

Since 2020, Isabel has been leading a research-in-practice project and podcast that explores how lighting design can support sustainability and well-being.

She is a guest lecturer at KTH in Stockholm and she has also lectured at prestigious events such as the Light Fair in Las Vegas, PLDC in Rome and Rotterdam, TIL in Bregenz, Enlighten Europe in Berlin, and the Light Symposium in Stockholm.

“Applying for the Workshop Head role felt like the perfect way to contribute to this fantastic event, in which I participated as a student 19 years ago while studying at KTH.  My experience then was invaluable, and I formed lasting friendships, professional connections and memories that I still cherish today. I hope to provide a similarly enriching experience for this year’s workshop participants”, Isabel says.

Sjoerd is a lighting designer based in the Netherlands.

After graduating as Design Engineer from Delft University of Technology, in 2002, he started giving lectures in lighting design at the same university.

He delivered his first independent lighting project in Rotterdam in 2004; the following year, he co-founded Atelier LEK, specializing in exterior projects.

In 2012, he founded Beersnielsen, with Juliette Nielsen, delivering high-quality lighting, in the Netherlands and abroad.

“I’m looking forward to being part of the Lights in Alingsås workshop family again (I still have the workshop raincoat from last time I participated). Now, with almost 20 years of experience, I hope we can inspire the new generation of lighting designers as much as the workshop did for me then in 2006!”, Sjoerd says.

Cristina is an Italian architect and lighting designer, based in Rotterdam.

She is educated through various universities in Europe and Asia. Amongst other the Master Course in Architectural Lighting Design at KTH. One important experience that led her into the lighting world was being shown the importance of lights and shadows, at the Kengo Kuma Laboratory, in Tokyo.

Most of her professional experience is connected to Beersnielsen Lichtontwerpers in the Netherlands, a creative, flexible and independent lighting design firm, where she currently works for.  With a team of six designers, varying in background and nationality, they base their design strategy on “having enough light, at the right time, in the right place, for a dedicated purpose”.

As a young professional, joining an established firm, she has had the chance to work on very diverse projects both in scale and scope. She has a soft spot for museum lighting.

“Despite our considerable age (and height) difference, I have recognized since the very beginning the joy and excitement that working hands-on and helping others, ignite into both of us, alike. When Sjoerd participated as workshop head in 2006, he was in the first years of his career. Now, almost twenty years (and some hundreds of projects) later, I find it particularly poetic that he could go back to Alingsås with another motivated woman, who is exploring her role in the professional field of lighting design. I like this idea of recurrence, and love thinking that, in two more decades, I could return, what I have been receiving, to a new generation of lighting aficionados”, Cristina says.

Meta started her journey in design by studying Interior Design before moving into Architectural Lighting Design at Wismar. Since then, she has worked in several architectural lighting offices in Switzerland, refining her approach to both the technical and creative aspects of lighting.

Today, Meta runs her own lighting design practice, where she continues to explore light’s potential in architectural spaces.

Meta and Niken met at Hochschule Wismar, pursuing a master’s degree in architecture Lighting Design. They both participated in Lights in Alingsås workshop as students in 2016.

Meta believes that lighting is a craft, something best understood by experiencing it directly. Light shapes the atmosphere, influences perception and transforms spaces, but mastering this skill takes time and practice. A workshop is the perfect place for that.

“Returning to Alingsås as a Workshop Head with Niken feels like a natural step—sharing what I’ve learned, giving back to the lighting community, and reconnecting with the town that fosters such a meaningful experience. Hopefully, this time, with better weather!”, says Meta.

Niken and Meta participated in Lights in Alingsås 2016, an experience that left a lasting impression on both of them as students. This year, they are thrilled to return as Workshop Heads and contribute once again to this inspiring community. To them, lighting design workshops are ideal platforms for exploration, experimentation, and education.

Originally from Indonesia, Niken began her career as an architect in Singapore, where she discovered light as a fascinating element. She enjoys observing how daylight shapes spaces and architecture throughout the day, while artificial lighting transforms them into entirely different experiences at night. This curiosity led her to pursue a Master’s in Architectural Lighting Design at Hochschule Wismar, Germany.

During Niken´s time in Singapore, she had the opportunity to work on diverse projects, from commercial and hospitality, to museums and large-scale masterplans.

Afterward, Niken returned to Singapore and worked as an architectural lighting designer until 2023. During this time, she had the opportunity to work on diverse projects, ranging from commercial and hospitality to museums and large-scale lighting masterplans.

Dr. Amardeep M. Dugar has been working in architectural lighting design since 2002. As a qualified architect, he focuses on all aspects of lighting, including design, education, and research. In 2010, he founded Lighting Research & Design, a firm that reflects these values.

He obtained a Master of Arts in architectural lighting from the University of Wismar in Germany, followed by a Ph.D. in the same field from Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand.

Amardeep has worked on major projects in the commercial, healthcare, and hospitality sectors, earning prestigious awards such as the IALD Award of Excellence, IES Award of Merit, and LIT Awards. He was also honored with the 40-Under-40 award.

He has taught lighting design at architecture schools and given lectures at well-known international conferences. His research in lighting is also notable—he won first place at the IISF 2016 Young Scientists’ Conclave and has published many articles in respected international journals.

Amardeep participated in Lights in Alingsås as Workshop Head back in 2014.

“Having led over 25 workshops across the globe, I can confidently state that light is a tangible representation of creativity and expression. Despite being such an intangible medium, light challenges our perceptions and encourages us to delve deeper into the interplay of visibility and invisibility”, Amardeep says.

“As Workshop Head, my aim would be to create an inclusive space where learners feel empowered to step out of their comfort zones, experiment boldly, and cultivate their unique artistic voices”, he says.