Founders, principals and CEOs of some of the industry’s leading design practices make up the 20-person jury that will select the next FRAME Award winner and honourable mentions for the July monthly competition.

Agata Kurzela, founder of Agata Kurzela Studio 

In 2020, Agata Kurzela launched her design practice, Agata Kurzela Studio, blending contemporary creativity, technological insight and contextual awareness to deliver functional, poetically engaging spaces across various disciplines. Supporting clients from concept to completion with projects of differing scales throughout the Middle East, Europe and beyond, her scope of work includes product design, installations, interior design and architecture. She completed a rigorous technical education where she earned a master of science in engineering, specializing in architecture and urban planning, from Gdańsk University of Technology, and has studied sustainable community development through a collaboration between Uppsala Technical University and the Technical University of Gdańsk.

Alex Mok, cofounder of Linehouse

Along with Briar Hickling, Alex Mok cofounded Linehouse in 2013. The duo sought to create a collaborative environment between like-minded individuals from various backgrounds and cultures. The practice has international experience with a portfolio of work in China, Asia Pacific and Europe, from the small-scale and the intricate to the grand and public. Mok's design work has been recognized internationally and has won several international design awards. In 2023, Linehouse was selected a 'Design Vanguard', one of the top ten emerging architects from around the world by Architectural Record magazine and has garnered praise from other leading publications and awards platforms. 

Allen Zhou, founder of Shengtang Shijia Design Studio

After graduating from the interior design department of Sichuan Agricultural University, Allen Zhou went to Chongqing University of Architecture, as well as different countries in Southeast Asia and Europe for further study. He has been engaged in design for 24 years and has been involved in many design sectors such as living, hospitality, institutional and retail spaces. He is the founder and design director of Shengtang Shijia Design Studio and is the vice president of the Second Institute of China Southwest Geotechnical Investigation & Design Institute Co., LTD. Building on his academic background, Zhou serves as a tutor and visiting professor at the interior design department of Sichuan Agricultural University. 

Anette Skeie, head of design Norco Interior

Anette Skeie has 25 years of experience working as a visual merchandiser and retail designer. She’s worked for Norway’s largest fashion retailer, the Varner Group, as a store concept developer and for several of Scandinavia’s largest shop fitting companies such as Expedit, Wanzl, Itab and Norco Interior. She has also worked as a lighting designer for Flos Norway doing concept design for hotels and stores in addition to being a guest lecturer and examiner for retail design studies at the college and university. Currently, she operates as the head of design at Norco Interior and creates retail concepts for many of Norway’s leading chains.

Arianna Bavusa, cofounder and lead architect at AB+AC Architecture

Arianna Bavuso is cofounder and lead architect at AB+AC Architects, an international multidisciplinary studio operating within the field of urbanism, architecture, design and art. She intends to deploy architecture and design as tools to improve an entire variety of physical, social, economic, environmental and emotional needs, to promote a healthier and more sustainable quality of life. She received her bachelor of architecture at Politecnico of Milano, followed by a master of arts in urbanism and societal change at The Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen after which she worked at acclaimed practices around the world. Further underscoring her interest in designing for wellbeing, she designed an online course titled Neuro-Architecture and Psychology of Spaces – currently powered by Gritnova – where she shares her insights and educates on how spaces impact our physical and mental health.

Carmelo Zappulla, PhD architect and CEO of External Reference

Carmelo Zappulla is an Italian-born architect who holds a PhD from Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, and is the founder and director of the Barcelona-based multidisciplinary international firm External Reference. Operating across various domains including urban interventions, architecture, retail, hospitality, exhibition spaces and product design, the studio is committed to transforming spaces into captivating emotional experiences, reflecting Zappulla's emphasis on innovation, technological research, parametric design, and materials. Demonstrated both in his academic role as a professor at LCI Barcelona and the Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) and in the numerous innovative projects carried out in more than 15 years of the studio's activity.

Dan Weber, founder, CEO and principal of Anacapa Architecture & Interior Design

Passionate about architecture since his youth, Dan Weber founded Anacapa Architecture & Interior Design in 2016. The firm operates between its offices in Santa Barbara, California, and Portland, Oregon, delivering award-winning residential, commercial, and hospitality projects across the American West and Hawaii. Notable projects include the design of a vibrant office space for the international video conferencing company Zoom and the transformation of a historic building from the early 1900s into the contemporary Drift hotel, demonstrating Weber’s and Anacapa’s focus on beauty, functionality, and purpose in design.

Hannes Bäuerle, managing director DACH Raumprobe | Material Bank

Hannes Bäuerle has a formal background in mechanical engineering and interior design and currently works as the managing director of the DACH region at Raumprobe | Material Bank. In 2005, he founded Raumprobe along with Joachim Stumpp and in 2023 merged the company with Material Bank. In addition to his management role, he works as a lecturer at several universities and educational institutions, gives keynote speeches, is the author of numerous specialist books as well as a freelance journalist with regular publications in trade journals.

Javier Guzmán Benit, cofounder of Zooco Estudio

Before going on to cofound Zooco Estudio alongside Miguel Crespo Picot and Sixto Martín Martínez, Javier Guzmán Benit completed a degree in architecture with a specialization in building construction at ETSAM University. Zooco, with head offices in Madrid and Santander, takes on a wide scope of design projects from interior interventions to large structures building. The studio prides itself in its ability to approach the creation of spaces with flexibility, resulting in a range of spaces, many of which have been featured in leading design publications and awards including FRAME and Forbes.

Jukka Halminen, founding partner and creative lead at Design Office KOKO3

Jukka Halminen is one of the three founding partners of Design Office KOKO3. As the creative lead, he manages a diverse range of interior architecture and design projects and serves as a primary client contact. His contributions to the field earned him the Finnish Interior Architect of the Year Award. He holds a master’s degree in interior design from Aalto University (formerly the University of Art and Design Helsinki). Design KOKO3, established by Halminen and his partners Aino and Helka, is built on a foundation of lasting friendships formed during their university years. The firm, based at the Cable Factory in Ruoholahti, Helsinki, recently celebrated its 20th anniversary.

Lara Francis El Hani, senior manager of interior design and head of department at Kling Consult

Lara Francis El Hani has over three decades of professional experience in architecture and interior design, having mastered the full scope of the design process from concept to handover. She holds a master’s degree in interior architecture and plastic arts from the Lebanese Institute of Fine Arts. Currently the senior manager of interior design and head of department at Kling and based in the UAE, she mainly works on hospitality schemes, mixed-use ventures and project development. In addition to serving as a jury member, she has participated in professional design panels and industry round table discussions. 

Leali Ezzat, design director at ELE Interior

Leali Ezzat founded ELE Interior in Dubai in 2017. After graduating with a degree in interior design at Interior Design Barreira Arte in 2011, Ezzat gained a breadth of experience working as a designer in different capacities, both in design studios and for commercial brands such as with the Porcelanosa Group as head of design and sales. Six years into the establishment of her own practice, she has built a wide network of clients, specializing in designing in the private home, hospitality and retail sectors.

Lori Ferriss, executive director at Built Buildings Lab; principal consultant at Cameron MacAllister Group

Lori Ferriss is the cofounder and executive director of Built Buildings Lab and Principal Consultant with the Cameron MacAllister Group. Her work as an architect, structural engineer, conservator and educator combines broad policy development with deep technical insights to harness the existing built environment as a climate solution. Her research explores the co-benefits of activating the existing built environment as a climate solution. Her work centres on sustainability in the built environment, including establishing carbon accounting methods for historic buildings that have been featured in publications ranging from the Journal of Architectural Conservation to Architect Magazine and presented on-stage at the UN COP27 and COP28 climate conferences. She is a co-developer of Architecture 2030’s CARE Tool, which estimates the carbon benefits of reusing and retrofitting buildings.

Louisa Fan, director of design luxury and lifestyle at IHG Hotels & Resorts

As an architect and designer, Louisa Fan’s work throughout her career has been dedicated to the design and project management of super highrises, complexes and hotels. Before joining IHG as director of design luxury and lifestyle, where she is currently responsible for hotel projects and brand design for luxury brands, she gained more than 20 years of professional experience working for top global design and architecture practices. Having completed the openings of multiple flagship hotels, she continues working on the creation of new landmark projects.

Mireia Luzárraga Álvaraz, principal architect at Takk

Alongside Alejandro Muiño, Mireia Luzárraga Álvaraz co-directs Takk, a research-based architecture studio, based in Barcelona and New York. Her work focuses on investigating how architecture can catalyze the development of more democratic lives by incorporating feminist thought, posthuman studies and political ecology into spatial practices. A recipient of accolades and awards from all over the world, her work is also featured in some of the most prestigious architecture museum collections worldwide, including the FRAC Center Val-de-Loire, the Vitra Design Museum, the Mak Center for Art & Architecture in Los Angeles, the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rabat, and the Disseny Hub in Barcelona.

Rahul Bansal, principal architect at Group DCA

Rahul Bansal is the partner and principal architect at Group DCA, a multidisciplinary design firm founded in 1996 and based in New Delhi. An alumnus of the esteemed School of Planning and Architecture, Rahul cofounded this firm with a vision to foster a culture of ingenuity and innovation in the industry. Passionate about integrating traditional craftsmanship into Group DCA's projects, he ensures the celebration of local resources and cultural influences through an inclusive process. He’s worked in the fields of luxury retail, residential, workplace, mixed-use and hospitality design with a roster of clients including Rolex, Chanel, Gucci, Tom Ford and more.

Shamsudin Kerimov, founder and principal architect at Kerimov Architects

Shamsudin Kerimov, the founder of Kerimov Architects, graduated from the Moscow Architectural Institute in 2011. A practicing architect for since 2010, he is a member of the Union of Moscow Architects and previously served as a tutor at the Moscow Architectural Institute. His work has been featured in top publications like the Financial Times, Archdaily, designboom and more, and has also won several awards, totalling nine so far.

Vineeta Singhania Sharma, founder partner and principal architect at Confluence

Vineeta Singhania Sharma is guided by a sense of curiosity and an affinity for creative problem-solving, evident in her work portfolio spanning over two and half decades. As the founder partner and principal architect at Confluence, she spearheads the firm’s design narrative. She integrates the natural and cultural context of a site into the process. Throughout her career, she has developed an extensive portfolio covering both macro and micro-level projects, highlighting her passion for discovering new ways of working with diverse artisans and creative communities. Her efforts have resulted in Confluence’s recognition in magazines such as Vogue, Architect & Interiors India, Design Essentia and Design Collective, amongst others.

Yang Yan, founder and chief architect of Y.ad Studio

As the founder and chief architect of Y.ad studio, Yang Yan established the studio in Shanghai in 2017. He focuses on urban renewal, commercial transformation, cultural and tourism real estate, restaurants and hotels and rural construction. His architecture and design practices are grounded in the pragmatic circumstances of each project, moving beyond entrenched stereotypes, labels and preconceptions. Guided by an approach of active intervention, his ability to connect design, idea and space makes for spaces that prioritize people and the environment.

Guo Ziwei, founder and director of Pure Design

Guo Ziwei has worked in real estate design and management for nearly 20 years, gaining a deep professional background and rich experience in design. In 2013, he founded Pure Design. He always considers the site’s specifications, creating spaces that balance quality and practicality. With a repertoire of creative techniques, rich experience in project management and a strong sense of spatial analysis, he has led the Pure Design team to complete a wide range of award-winning projects both domestically and internationally.