The A+Awards Jury

The A+Awards are bigger than just the architectural community. Our 250+ member jury academy is comprised of leaders who are actively shaping the world we live in, representing a sought-after segment of design-savvy professionals including distinguished luminaries from fields as diverse as fashion, publishing, product design, real estate development and tech. Finalists and winners get their work in front of the people who matter and gain recognition as the year’s most influential visionaries.

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Featured Jury

Enrique Norten

Founder and Director, Ten Arquitectos

Enrique Norten is the Founder and Director of TEN Arquitectos in Mexico City, New York and Miami. Born in Mexico City, he graduated from Architecture at the Universidad Iberoamericana in 1978 and in 1980 he obtained a Master’s Degree in Architecture from Cornell University.
In 1986 he founded TEN Arquitectos (Taller de Enrique Norten), initiating a commitment to the creation and research of urbanism, architecture and design with offices in Mexico City, New York and Miami.
Enrique Norten has been internationally recognized for his extensive career; he received the first National Architecture Award PPG Comex in 2021; in 2018 he received the Fine Arts Medal of the Ministry of Culture; in 2014 the “Trayectorias” Award by the College of Architects of Mexico City; in 2005 the World Cultural Council awarded him the “Leonardo da Vinci” award World Award, among other distinctions.
He was a professor at the University of Pennsylvania with the Miller Chair since 1998, as well as a visiting professor at the Yale School of Architecture, the Harvard Design School, the universities of Michigan, UCLA, Cornell, SciArch, Rice, Columbia, Pratt, Parsons, Universidad Iberoamericana, among others. Read less

Mariam Issoufou

Founder and Principal, Mariam Issoufou Architects; Professor of Architecture Heritage and Sustainability, ETH Zurich

Mariam Issoufou is an architect from Niger. She is a professor of Architecture Heritage and Sustainability at ETH Zurich. In 2014, she founded Mariam Issoufou Architects, an architecture and research practice that tackles public, cultural, residential, commercial and urban design projects. She believes that architects have an important role to play in creating spaces that elevate, give dignity, and provide people with a better quality of life. The firm’s completed projects include the Hikma Community Complex, a library and mosque complex, which won two Global LafargeHolcim Awards for sustainable architecture. Other works include the Niamey 2000 Housing project, a response to Niger’s housing crisis which was shortlisted for the 2022 Aga Khan Award for Architecture. Upcoming projects include the Yantala Office building in Niger, the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development in Liberia. She was named as one of 15 Creative Women of Our Time by the New York Times. Read less

Shogo Kawata

Representative of teamLab Architects

teamLab Architects is an architectural collective that transcends the boundaries of digital technology, art, biology, and architecture to explore the relationship between cities, nature, and people in a new era, as well as future forms of architecture and space. Read less

Carlo Ratti Associati

Co-founder, CRA - Carlo Ratti Associati; Director, MIT Senseable City Lab

An architect and engineer by training, Professor Carlo Ratti teaches at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he directs the Senseable City Lab, and is a founding partner of the international design and innovation office Carlo Ratti Associati. He graduated from the Politecnico di Torino and the École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées in Paris, and later earned his MPhil and PhD at the University of Cambridge, UK. A leading voice in the debate on new technologies’ impact on urban life and design, Carlo has co-authored over 500 publications, including “The City of Tomorrow” (Yale University Press, with Matthew Claudel), and holds several technical patents. His articles and interviews have appeared on international media including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Financial Times, Scientific American, BBC, Project Syndicate, Corriere della Sera, Il Sole 24 Ore, Domus. His work has been exhibited worldwide at venues such as the Venice Biennale, the Design Museum Barcelona, the Science Museum in London, MAXXI in Rome, and MoMA in New York City. Read less

Lin Xiao

Executive Deputy General Manager, Beijing AN-design Architects

With a deep understanding of urban and rural planning from the perspective of urban cultural values, Lin Xiao is adept at urban renewal interventions, urban design, characteristic space master planning, as well as the conservation and utilization of historical and cultural cities and neighborhoods. In the realm of heritage preservation and urban renewal, he has proposed the concept of integrating design, investment, construction, and operation (DICO), and has successfully executed several impactful projects in line with this approach. Read less

Kate Wagner

Architecture Critic, The Nation

Kate Wagner (b. 1993) is a critic and journalist based in Chicago and Ljubljana. She is currently the architecture critic at The Nation and a lecturer in Art History at the University of Chicago. First known for her satirical blog McMansion Hell, Wagner has served as a columnist in the fields of architecture and culture at a number of publications including The Baffler, Curbed, and The New Republic. When she is not writing about the built environment, she writes about Slovenian cycling and learns Slovenian. Read less

Tosin Oshinowo

architect/curator, Oshinowo Studio

Tosin Oshinowo is a Lagos-based Nigerian architect and designer. The founder and principal of Oshinowo Studio, which she formed in 2013, Oshinowo has worked on a number of civic, commercial and residential projects throughout Nigeria. She is renowned for her insights into socially responsive approaches to architecture, design and urbanism.
Oshinowo’s key designs include a project with the United Nations Development Programme to build an entirely new community in northern Nigeria for a village displaced by Boko Haram, and the Maryland Mall in Lagos. Her work spans into the conceptual sphere, demonstrating a strong interest in architectural history while embodying a contemporary perspective on the next generation of African design, innovation, and afro-minimalism. She partnered with Lexus on conceptual design explorations for Design Miami/ 2020 and co-curated the second Lagos Biennial in 2019.
Oshinowo is a registered Architect in the Federal Republic of Nigeria and a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects. Before founding Oshinowo Studio, she worked in the offices of Skidmore Owings & Merrill in London and the Office of Metropolitan Architecture Rotterdam, where she was part of the team that designed the 4th Mainland Bridge proposal in 2008. Upon returning to Lagos, she practised at James Cubitt Architects and led on notable projects, including the corporate head office building for Nigeria LNG in Port Harcourt. She has a BA in Architecture from Kingston University, London; an MSc in Development and Planning: Building and Urban Design in Development, University College London; an AA Diploma from the Architecture Association London and a Masters in Business for Architecture and Design from IE University, Madrid. Read less

Hamid Hassanzadeh

Founder and Creative Director, Parametric Architecture

Hamid Hassanzadeh is a distinguished architect, entrepreneur, researcher, and speaker. Having earned his degree in architectural engineering in 2012, Hamid has since contributed to various architectural projects across multiple regions around the globe.
In early 2016, he founded the ParametricArchitecture platform, initially launching on Instagram. Today, ParametricArchitecture, often abbreviated as PA, stands as a globally renowned hub for parametric, computational design, and AI lovers, boasting over 20 million monthly interactions on the internet. Hamid endeavors to demystify the intricacies of the parametric, computational, and AI realms through compelling articles, interviews, workshops, podcasts, and conferences disseminated across various digital platforms.
Furthermore, he’s the visionary behind PAACADEMY, an educational entity under the aegis of PA, dedicated to propagating the concepts of computational architecture and design. The PAACADEMY, as an educational platform, educates and engages with its audience, introducing them to advanced techniques and algorithms employed by architects, designers, and coders alike. He highlights exemplary projects executed using state-of-the-art design software, ensuring that his audience not only witnesses but also comprehends the depth and philosophy of these avant-garde design practices.
Moreover, as the esteemed host of the 'PA Talks' interview series, he engages in enriching conversations with architects, orchestrates numerous workshops, conferences, and events, and has had the privilege of interviewing myriad globally acclaimed architects, delving into their methodologies and foresighted visions for the architectural landscape. Read less

Cristian Confalonieri

Co-Founder, Studiolabo; Creative Director, Fuorisalone

Cristian Confalonieri is a communication and service designer. With a degree in design from the Politecnico di Milano and a subsequent master's degree in " Creating Design Enterprises", he has accumulated more than fifteen years of experience in the field of webdesign and user experience and has been a consultant for numerous communication agencies in the field of content providers for mobile, web and digital TV. Read less

Julia Gamolina

Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Madame Architect; Associate Principal & Director of Business Development, Ennead Architects

Julia Gamolina is dedicated to the built environment and to celebrating the extraordinary people transforming it. She is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Madame Architect, a digital magazine and media start-up. Trained as an architect herself and with a decade of experience across all aspects of design and business development, Julia stays engaged in professional practice as an Associate Principal at Ennead Architects and a Visiting Assistant Professor at Pratt Institute.
In 2023, Julia was listed in the Wallpaper* USA 300, a list of the people defining America’s creative landscape. Julia also received the Special Citation from AIANY for her work with Madame Architect. Her writing has been featured in A Women's Thing, Fast Company, Metropolis Magazine, and the Architect's Newspaper.
Julia has lectured widely, across college campuses such as Harvard, Mount Holyoke, and UCLA; at international conferences like the Women, Architecture and Sustainability Congress in Bogota and the 2023 UIA World Congress of Architects in Copenhagen; and at events such as the New York Architecture Film Festival. Visit www.juliagamolina.com for more. Read less

Paolo Casati

Co-Founder, Studiolabo; Creative Director, Fuorisalone

Paolo Casati (Milan, 1977) is a creative director and brand consultant. He graduated from the School of Design at the Politecnico di Milano with a thesis on Fuorisalone.it, gained experience in the field of product and interior design and then concentrated on the world of visual communication for the web, user experience, territorial marketing, event production and art direction. Read less

Dami Lee

Architect and YouTuber, Nollistudio

Dami is a licensed architect who uses her expertise to introduce architectural concepts to a wider audience through her YouTube channel. She excels in breaking down complex concepts into engaging presentations and as a result, has gained a large viewership of curious minds. In 2022, she ventured into entrepreneurship and founded Nollistudio, a unique fusion of architecture and filmmaking. This venture has since blossomed into a multidisciplinary team that thrives on collaboration, continuously pushing the boundaries in design and communication. Dami's mix of professionalism and her ability to engage people on a variety of topics, have deeply resonated with her colleagues and viewers alike, setting her apart in the field. Read less

Ilene Shaw

Executive Director, NYCxDesign

Ilene Shaw has devoted her career to the advocacy and promotion of great design. She began as a product designer and evolved as an innovator of international trade and public design shows, conferences, curated exhibitions, awards and educational programs, showcasing notable established and emerging architects, designers, artists and fine manufacturers.
She currently serves as Executive Director of NYCxDESIGN, New York City’s official design festival and initiative, promoting NYC internationally as a significant design destination and producing its official citywide design festival.
Shaw is the founding producer of Design Pavilion, the largest public design activation in the world viewed by millions of visitors annually around New York City in celebration of NYCxDESIGN. Shaw produced the Design Talks, offering thought-leadership by insightful design minds. She conceived of and co-developed the ICFF, International Contemporary Furniture Fair through its formative first decade. As a lifelong champion of public art and design, Shaw serves as a senior advisor to CODAworx, the resource hub of the commissioned art economy, and co-spearheaded its internationally renowned CODAawards. Shaw can be seen as a frequent presenter and judge on the CBS TV series America ByDesign: Architecture, where she is known for her spotlight interviews of today’s architectural stars, and America ByDesign: Innovation, where she features international product spotlights. Read less

Karim Rashid

Kreator, Karim Rashid Inc.

Visionary and prolific, Karim Rashid is one of the most unique voices in design today. With more than 4000 designs in production, over 300 awards to his name, and client work in over 40 countries, Karim’s ability to transcend typology continues to make him a force among designers of his generation. His award-winning designs include democratic objects such as the ubiquitous Garbo waste can and Oh! Chair for Umbra, interiors for Morimoto restaurant, Philadelphia and Semiramis hotel, Athens, and exhibitions for Corian and Pepsi. Karim has collaborated with clients to create democratic design for Method and Dirt Devil, furniture for Artemide and Magis, brand identity for Citibank and Hyundai, high-tech products for LaCie and Samsung, and luxury goods for Veuve Clicquot and Swarovski, to name a few. Karim’s work is featured in 20 permanent collections and he exhibits art in galleries worldwide. Karim is a perennial winner of the Red Dot award, Chicago Athenaeum Good Design award, Interior Design Best of Year Award, and IDSA Industrial Design Excellence Award. Karim is a frequent guest lecturer at universities and conferences, globally disseminating the importance of design in everyday life. Read less

Ayo Abbas

Built Environment Marketing Consultant, Abbas Marketing

Ayo Abbas is an award-winning, digitally-led built environment marketing consultant. She founded her own consultancy Abbas Marketing in 2020 and has worked with firms including Arup, Mace, WSP, Make Architects, McLaren Construction and Ramboll delivering strategy, content and training services. She enjoys working with architecture and engineering firms that are passionate about delivering great projects and open to the possibilities that more digitally-led marketing and innovation can bring to their business. Ayo is a fellow of the RSA and also hosts her own podcast The Built Environment Marketing Show. Read less

Wandile Mthiyane

Founder and CEO, Ubuntu Design Group and The Anti-Racist Hot Dog

Wandile is an Obama Leader, dynamic speaker, political analyst, adjunct professor, and architect who holds a master’s in architecture from Andrews University in Michigan. He is a One Young World Ambassador, Resolution Fellow, and TEDx Fellow. He is also the CEO of three organizations: the Ubuntu Design Group, the Anti-Racist Hot Dog, and the Ubuntu Architecture Summer Abroad Design Justice School.
Wandile brings an international perspective to architecture workplace inclusion, shaped by his journey. He was born during apartheid South Africa, went to school in Zimbabwe and the United States, and has worked in both South Africa and the United States. Read less

Julie Payette

Founding Partner, v2com newswire

Julie Payette is a Founding Partner of v2com newswire, the first and preeminent international architecture and design newswire service for promoting projects to the world’s largest specialized media network – more than 6,500 media outlets in 97 countries. As an international publicist specializing in design and architecture for more than 25 years, Julie remains focused on the highest standards of design and leads v2com’s relentless pursuit of quality projects and the most promising young talent from around the world. In recognition of her extensive industry experience and expertise, Julie has been selected as a jury member for prestigious international competitions including the Frame Awards, Architizer A+ Awards, Architecture MasterPrize, LOOP Design Awards, and Rethinking The Future. In 2021, Julie received the prestigious Ambassador of Quality in Architecture award, a distinction of the Order of Architects of Quebec (OAQ). Read less

Julian Weyer, MAA

Partner , C.F. Møller Architects

Julian Weyer was born in Berlin, and has lived in Denmark since 1975, where he finished his studies at the Aarhus School of Architecture in 1994. Since then, he has lectured at the School of Architecture, and worked professionally as an architect and at C.F. Møller Architects, before becoming a partner of C.F. Møller Architects in 2007. Julian Weyer has extensive experience in the field of architecture, landscape architecture and urban design, including numerous competition wins and award-winning designs. He is working on projects in Denmark, Germany and the UK as well as worldwide, with a particular focus on creating integrated and innovative solutions where urban spaces, landscapes and buildings go hand in hand with social and environmental sustainability. He is also a frequent lecturer worldwide, and author of articles and book publications. Awards include the European Architecture Award, the Iconic Award, the International Architecture Award, Civic Trust Awards, RIBA International Award, Aarhus and Odense Municipality Architecture Awards, Residential of the Year WAN AWARD, Commercial of the Year WAN AWARD, Worldwide Brick Award and the Danish Academy Council prize. Read less

Amanda Ferber

Founder, Architecture Hunter

Recognized by Feedspot as the foremost among the top 125 architectural influencers worldwide, Amanda Ferber is the architect behind @architecture_hunter. She founded one of the very first architectural curation profiles on Instagram, which has consistently held the top position in its field on the platform. Today, boasting an audience of over 3 million people globally, Architecture Hunter has evolved into a content creation platform, specializing in videos.
In 2018, Ferber graced the cover of the Italian magazine Beesness, earning the title of "the influencer of architects." In 2019, at just 24 years old, she earned a coveted spot on the prestigious Forbes Under 30 list. During her academic journey, Amanda interned at studioMK27, led by the renowned Marcio Kogan, and later contributed to ArchDaily. Amanda also serves on the jury for several esteemed international architecture and design awards. Additionally, she acts as an ambassador for Arkos and Morpholio, a North American network of applications for architects. Read less

Koichi Takada

Principal, Koichi Takada Architects

Koichi Takada belongs to a new generation of architects that strive to bring nature back into the urban environment — an approach he matured after living in Tokyo, New York and London. In 2008, Koichi established Koichi Takada Architects in Sydney, Australia. His mission was to bring the nature he loved as a child, back into the ‘concrete jungle’ through design. His architecture reconnects humans to the natural environment, drawing inspiration from organic forms and local contexts. His architecture can be experienced through all the senses, with a signature design aesthetic that has won him an international reputation for design excellence. @koichitakadaarchitects @koichitakada_official Read less

Molly Heintz

Chair of MA Design Research, Writing & Criticism, School of Visual Arts

Molly Heintz is the Chair of the MA Design Research, Writing & Criticism at the School of Visual Arts. She was formerly the editor of Oculus for AIANY and has served as the op-ed editor of Co.Design for Fast Company and as managing editor of The Architect’s Newspaper. Based in New York City, she has worked in-house at several architecture firms, including as the director of marketing and communications for the northeast region of Gensler and as research director at Rockwell Group, where she edited Spectacle among other publications. She is a co-founder of the editorial consultancy Superscript, which has developed programming, exhibitions, and editorial content for a variety of institutions including the Venice Architecture Biennale, the Museum of Arts and Design, and MoMA. She holds B.A.s in art history and archaeology from Duke University, an M.A. in the History of Art and Architecture from Harvard University, and an M.F.A. in Design Criticism from the School of Visual Arts. Read less

Amit Gupta

Founder & Editor-in-Chief, STIRworld.com; STIRpad.com

A designer, thinker, and conceptualizer for all things creative, provocative and challenging, Amit founded STIR as a global platform that offers exclusively curated content set apart by its characteristic careful analysis and meticulous presentation.
STIR presents arenas for cross-disciplinary collaborations, industry connect and community building enabling it to enjoy a large reach with an audience of design enthusiasts, consumers, next-generation creators and thinkers within the world of art, architecture, and design.
He then followed this up with the launch of STIRworld.com in 2019. A global content platform, STIRworld.com serves as a digital publication disseminating content that provokes thinking and encourages dialogue and discussions within the creative community through critical project reviews, in-depth case studies, interviews, conversations, debates, and discourse.
The most recent addition to the STIR stable has been STIRpad - a destination for Galleries, Design & Art Studios and Brands to showcase their latest innovations, products, and news.
A jury on the following awards - Dezeen Awards, DNA Paris Awards, Loop Design Awards, LIT Design Awards, International Design Awards Read less

Mari Balestrazzi

Global Director, Environments Design, Airbnb

As Director of Operations for Environments, Mari oversees the team that designs Airbnb’s offices worldwide, and collaborates with real estate developers to create new models of housing that support Airbnb’s goal to make it possible for guests to experience the world in a more authentic, connected way.Before assuming her role at Airbnb Mari held numerous positions within the hospitality design industry. Most recently she was Vice President of Design Services for Hyatt Hotels in Chicago, where she oversaw design for Hyatt’s portfolio of full-service hotel brands throughout the Americas region. Prior to Hyatt Mari was the Group Director, Architecture at Value Retail based in London and Senior Vice President of Design for Morgans Hotel Group in New York. Mari’s first in-house role was as Global Director of Design for St. Regis Hotels. Before transitioning to in-house design roles, Mari got her start as Studio Director for Aero Studios Limited in New York City where she oversaw new construction and renovation projects, both residential and commercial, including the hotel 60 Thompson and Giorgio Armani’s private residence in Manhattan. Read less

Monica von Schmalensee

Senior Architect / MDA, White Arkitekter

Monica von Schmalensee is a senior architect at White Arkitekter. In her role as CEO of the company 2010-2017 she established the practice internationally and doubled its size. Monica continues to develop the practice in her current role as strategic advisor. She was appointed as one of the Mayor's Design Advocates between 2017-2022, a collection of individuals who support the Mayor of London and his staff in the delivery of the Good Growth by Design agenda. She is also Co-Chair international Council at Van Alen Institute . Monica has been a juror at WAF for many years and on the International jury for New London Architecture. Monica is often engaged as a keynote speaker at a wide range of renowned international conferences. Monica was awarded Community Builder of Year 2016 by the organisation ‘Swedish professionals for the built environment’ and in 2017 she was named the second most powerful person in Swedish architecture and design by publication Tidskriften Rum. During 2018 Monica was appointed by the government as chairman of the "Sustainable Cities Council" and she was recently appointed new Chairman of the Board at the Form / Design Center in Malmö . And Chairman at the Swedish Centre for Innovation and Quality in the Built Environment. Monica has been asked to be an advisor for the new Nobel Center in Stockholm. Read less

Katelin Butler

Editorial Director, Architecture Media

Katelin Butler is the editorial director at Architecture Media, where her role includes the custodianship of the centenarian magazine Architecture Australia and curation of the Design Speaks event series. She has co-edited three books: The Forever House: Time-Honoured Australian Homes (2014), The Terrace House: Reimagined for the Australian Way of Life (2015) and The Apartment House: Reframing the Australian Dream (2017), all published by Thames and Hudson. She is co-author of The New Queensland House (2022), also published by Thames and Hudson. She has been a peer juror, exhibition curator, guest university critic and speaker at various industry events and conferences. Katelin holds a Bachelor of Environmental Design from the University of Tasmania and a Master of Architecture from the University of Melbourne. Read less

Todd Henderson

Co-founder and Director, Cumulus Studio

Todd Henderson is a founder and director of CUMULUS Tasmania, Australia, and has developed a reputation for unique, contextually responsive design. Starting with skate ramps and hand-sewn clothing, the art of designing and making still drives him today.
Practical and inquisitive, Todd likes to understand how things work and why they exist, drawing him away from design for the sake of it in favour of buildability and performance. Good design should be almost invisible.
A well-recognised architect in the Tasmanian and broader community, Todd has worked on notable residential, commercial, education and hospitality projects. He was the inaugural winner of the Tasmanian Emerging Architect prize and the Property Council of Australia Future Leader award, and he is a graduate of the Tasmanian Leaders Program.
Todd's practice interprets modernism's strict geometry and lack of ornament in a functional, natural-world context. He's committed to the use of honest, local materials. In particular, he finds timber offers warmth and connection to local culture. He believes there's a reason why traditional building materials like brick, timber, and steel endure over new materials on the market.
A mentor to many and a friend to more, Todd is often looked to for guidance, support and advice. Read less

Index of Jury