Wenhui is a partner of SPARK having worked with the studio for over 15 years. She has
worked on most of the major national and international portfolio projects undertaken by the
studio.

She has extensive experience in the design and management of complex urban
developments, master planning and architecture.

Wenhui is responsible for the design of many of SPARK’s award winning and internationally
celebrated projects such as Fai-Fah in Bangkok, nominated for an Aga Kahn Award and
Starhill Gallery in Kuala Lumpur which secured SPARK the German Design Council’s
“Architect of the Year” award in 2014.

Wenhui has led several of SPARK’s key mixed-use projects including the recently completed
Shekou Gateway One in Shenzhen, China. These projects are often characterised by complex
multi-stakeholder clients, where consultation is an essential part of the creative process.
Wenhui is a champion of SPARK’s ethos that “architecture and design should make peoples’
lives better”. Her contribution to SPARK’s World Architecture Festival winning Homefarm
and Beach Hut are a testament to this.

Wenhui's particular interest in social sustainability is demonstrated in her leadership of the
studio’s research and charity programmes which, in collaboration with organisations such
as Blue Cross and Fai-Fah, has developed a number of designs that seek to address issues
of social and sustainable development.

Wenhui has exhibited and sold her art work at a leading Singaporean art gallery, the
proceeds of which were donated to a local children’s charity.

Wenhui was a winner of the Singapore Women’s Weekly Great Women of our Time Award
Design & Style category 2016 focussed on “high achieving working women who are inspiring
game changers making an impact in the city.”

Wenhui has been an invited guest speaker at several international events most recently at
the University of Queensland and at the Asia Pacific Architecture forum in Brisbane.
Having held the position of Chair from 2018-2020, Wenhui is currently a judge on the
Singapore panel of the Property Guru Asia Property Awards.

Stephen Zawmoe Shwe was born and raised in the city of Yangon, Myanmar. After attending one year at Rangoon Institute of Technology, he went to the United States and received his BA in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley and an MArch degree from Columbia University where he won prominent design awards including the SOM Foundation Master of Architecture fellowship and the American Institute of Architects Allwork Scholarship award. He worked for seven years as an Associate at Teeny Group in New York, where he oversaw the design and construction of numerous residential and commercial projects. Mr. Shwe started the office SPINE Architects in Myanmar in 2003. He now has twenty-seven years of experience in architecture, interior design, and project management and has completed well over 300 projects through construction. He has been contributing to the architecture profession by giving out seminars to young architects and teaching architecture students. A few cyclone shelters and schools he designed were built throughout the delta area after Cyclone Nargis and he has been donating his time and knowledge for designing new contemporary Buddhist monasteries, meditation centers, and churches.

Santhosh Shanmugam is a partner with Shanmugam Associates, a 40-year-old architecture and design firm based out of Chennai and Trichy. The architecture at SA is simple, rational, powerful, experimental and pragmatic. He worked with Oppenheim Architecture + Design, Miami for around 5 years on a wide range of Hospitality, Apartments, High End Villas & Competition projects around the world. Santhosh has completed his post graduation in Advanced Architectural Design from Columbia University, New York, and his undergrad from School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University, Chennai. Also, Santhosh is a passionate badminton player that keeps him quite busy during the weekends.

Managing partner at Nayyar Ali Dada & Associates, a leading architecture design firm, Raza pursues interests related to urban and larger ecology related issues. Having extensive design experience in New York, he has contributed to landmark buildings through the design studio in Lahore while remaining engaged with Design institutions as a visiting lecturer. Raza has also been an on-site reviewer for the Aga Khan Award for Architecture for the last two cycles, and serves as an advisor to the Asia Young Designer Award. He is a board member of the Lahore Conservation Society and seeks balance in new and inherited environments.

Raza is also the co-founder of the Lahore Biennale Foundation that has delivered globally acclaimed biennales in 2018 and 2020, and has engaged with urban and sustainable conversations through its "Green schools program" and "Afforestation Lahore" campaign that has added over two million trees in Lahore in recent years.

Raza’s design interests and contributions include Architecture, Interiors and Industrial design as he pursues to set up new collaborative methods of working with design and research institutes.

Armin Mohsen Daneshgar is an Austrian / Iranian Architect. After his studies he held as teaching professor position at the Vienna University of Technology and he also worked as a guest lecturer at various other universities. In 2000 he founded Daneshgar Architects, a renowned international architectural firm with its base in Vienna. The firm specializes in creating exceptional spaces with a strong emphasis on unique design and high-quality craftsmanship. With a diverse portfolio of projects, Armin Mohsen Daneshgar has gained recognition for its innovative approach to architecture.

One of the notable areas of expertise for Daneshgar Architects is addressing the pressing need for re-densification in urban environments, particularly in inner cities. The firm recognizes the importance of utilizing space efficiently and creatively to meet the demands of growing populations and limited land availability. Through their designs, they aim to maximize the potential of existing urban areas while maintaining a harmonious balance between functionality, aesthetics, and sustainability.

Moreover, Daneshgar Architects also places great emphasis on the social aspects of architecture. They believe that buildings should not only serve as physical structures but also as spaces that foster human interactions and enhance the quality of life. The firm takes into account the social context of each project, considering factors such as community needs, cultural influences, and environmental impact. By integrating these elements into their designs, Daneshgar Architects strives to create spaces that are both visually captivating and socially meaningful.

With their commitment to excellence and a holistic approach to architecture, Daneshgar Architects has successfully delivered numerous projects that have garnered acclaim and recognition within the industry. Their designs reflect a deep understanding of the built environment and a passion for pushing boundaries to create spaces that inspire and enrich the lives of those who interact with them.

Gu Yi is the founder of Not a Studio Architect, an innovative architecture and design firm established in Shanghai in 2016. After spending over a decade in Africa, Gu Yi returned to China, bringing a unique global perspective to his work. His design philosophy is rooted in restraint and minimalism, emphasizing thoughtful spatial experiences across various typologies.

Not a Studio Architect’s diverse portfolio spans tea aesthetics, commercial spaces—including restaurants, retail environments, and boutique hotels—as well as public art spaces, residential projects, and offices. The firm has successfully delivered projects of varying scales, seamlessly blending cultural narratives with contemporary design.

Notable works include:

• The Container
• Duo Yun Bookstore (Shanghai, Chengdu, Suzhou)
• Shanghai Longhua Temple
• Pagoda Shadow Space
• Yongfu Temple Zen Museum of Art
• Suzhou Hanshan Temple
• Tea Space
• Atour Hotel 4.0 R&D
• Fotile Commercial Retail, and more.

Gu Yi’s commitment to timeless aesthetics, cultural sensitivity, and refined minimalism continues to shape distinctive architectural and interior spaces that inspire and engage.

Hirante Welandawe is an architect, interior designer, urban designer and educator and is the founder / principal architect at H W Architects Private Limited (2002). Welandawe has designed a wide range of projects including the design of institutional buildings, condominium projects, boutique hotels, work places, and private residences (projects).

Welandawe graduated from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka and obtained her Masters from the Aalto University in Helsinki.

Welandawe worked initially under Master Architect B.V. Doshi, whose work had a profound influence in the direction of her work. She started work with numerous personalized homes which helped her to develop a particular people centric way of approaching architecture focusing on socio cultural profiles and lifestyle.

She is part of the Visiting Faculty at the University of Moratuwa, has received several Design awards and was nominated for the Aga Khan award for Architecture in 2010.

Director of Elisava Madrid, Edgar González is a prominent figure in the design world. Formerly the Associate Dean of Design at IE School of Architecture and Design, he is the founder and Editor in Chief of edgargonzalez.com, a leading Spanish-language architecture and design reference since 2002. Based in Madrid, he runs EGD Edgar Gonzalez Design, a strategic consultancy specializing in applying design processes to complex problems and narratives.

González is particularly interested in the intersection of architectural practice, new technologies, and media, and how these elements influence creative processes and contemporary cities. He has been an associate professor, jury member, and speaker at institutions such as Universidad de Alicante, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Istituto Europeo di Design, and IE School of Architecture and Design, where he has lectured and conducted research since 2002.

As a designer and curator, González has contributed to several exhibitions and cultural projects and has published articles in specialized architecture and design publications. A licensed architect in both Mexico and Spain, he has worked as a project architect at Zaha Hadid Architects and Arquitectura Torres Nadal, and as an editorial designer for the Architectural Association London, The Economist, and The Guardian Group. He holds a Bachelor in Architecture from ITESO University in Mexico and an M.A. in Complex Architecture and Innovation Sociology from Alicante University in Spain.

Safeer Shersad is a New York-based urban strategist and designer with a passion for multidisciplinary collaboration and breaking down silos between professions. Originally from India, his design philosophy is deeply rooted in understanding local histories and contexts, with a strong emphasis on community-centered urban solutions.

As Senior Manager at Lime, Safeer develops place-based shared mobility strategies for over 100 cities worldwide, shaping the future of urban transportation. Prior to Lime, he was a consultant at Buro Happold, where he worked on design projects for leading architecture firms, including Bjarke Ingels Group, OMA, SOM, and Diller Scofidio + Renfro. His research experience also includes working with UN-Habitat on urban youth socioeconomic data.

His expertise lies at the intersection of mobility, urban experience, and climate-sensitive design. Academically, Safeer holds a BA in Architecture and Urban Planning from Newcastle University, an MSc in Urban Design and City Planning (Distinction) from The Bartlett, University College London, and a Master in Urban Planning from the Harvard Graduate School of Design. He was also the inaugural recipient of Nippon Paint’s Gennosuke Obata Fellowship.

Arch. Maria Nina Bailon Arce is the Senior Partner at Arce-Bailon-Arce Architects, a design firm she co-founded with her husband, Arch. Mariano Arce, Jr., in 1987. The firm has undertaken notable architectural and engineering design projects for both private entities and the national government.

She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Santo Tomas in 1981 and placed fifth in the PRC Board Exams in July 1983. In 2014, she was among the first 40 architects to be listed in the ASEAN Registry of Architects, and in June 2015, she was conferred as an APEC Architect. In the spirit of volunteerism, she has served as Secretary General and National Executive Vice-President of the United Architects of the Philippines, as Chancellor, and now as Jury of the College of Fellows.

A dedicated mother of three boys, two of whom are now architects collaborating with the firm, she has successfully balanced a thriving career and nurturing a family. She aims to continue this legacy by mentoring the next generation of architects through AYDA.