Combining myriad professional and academic experiences with wide-ranging international perspectives, our July Interiors of the Month jury will provide submitters and our audience with invaluable insights. Here is the team of 15.

Adrian Manea, architect and director at Manea Kella 

Director and cofounder of the London-based studio Manea Kella, Adrian Manea offers a personalized approach to architecture that ranges in scale from single residences to the extension of cities. The RIBA Chartered Architect forms projects from a strong research base and group dialogue, with resonant concepts and narratives developed in response to natural situations and broad cultural contexts. His interests are multidisciplinary – he is equally engaged designing at an urban scale as he is designing bespoke furniture. Manea formerly worked at Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands and Gensler. 

Akanksha Deo Sharma, designer at Ikea 

Originally from New Delhi, Akanksha Deo Sharma began working as an in-house designer for Ikea in 2017, producing collections like Förändring and Lokalt, which focus on renewable materials. A fashion designer by qualification and a visual artist, she specializes in textiles and craft, and was recognized on Forbes India’s 2020 30 Under 30 list. Form, function, quality, sustainability and affordability are common denominators in her work, because leaving a positive impact on people and the planet is her driving force. Sharma currently lives in Malmö.

Doris Sung, principal of DOSU Studio Architecture and director of undergraduate programs at the University of Southern California school of architecture

With the belief that buildings can be sensitive to the changing environment, Los Angeles’s Doris Sung seeks ways to make building skins dynamic and responsive. Her patented inventions include innovative products that self-ventilate, self-shade, self-structure, self-assemble and self-propel using zero-energy and no controls. Sung has been named a fellow of Google’s R+D for the Built Environment, the U.S. Artist, the Rockefeller Foundation and the Headlands Center for the Arts. She received her M.Arch. from Columbia University and B.A. from Princeton University.

Frank Lee, founder and president of Fengyuzhu 

Frank Lee is the founder and president of Shanghai Fengyuzhu Culture Technology Co., Ltd., a leading enterprise in the field of digital technology application in China. It is committed to the development of new media technology, and the creation, distribution and management of digital content. He is also an editorial board member of Time+Architecture and ID+C, entrepreneurship mentor of the career education program at Tongji University, mentor of USC-SJTU Institute of Cultural and Creative Industry (ICCI) and a member of the expert volunteers’ group for the Hundred Cities Empowerment Program. 

Janne van Berlo, founder of Atelier van Berlo

 After studying in Berlin and Delft, Janne van Berlo founded the Rotterdam architectural practice Atelier van Berlo in 2015. Her fascination lies in creating places that move people, designs which provoke an experience that reaches beyond functional, technical or aesthetic means. The team strives to create spaces that are not merely seen, but sensed, formulating designs that enhance the local surroundings and are sensitive to the environment. Van Berlo’s debut project, the Innovation powerhouse, has been widely published and nominated for several awards. 

Jeff Yrazabal, president of SRG Partnership 

As president and design principal of Portland- and Seattle-based architecture, planning and interiors firm SRG Partnership, Jeff Yrazabal’s leadership spans myriad markets and projects, from research environments to high-performance fitness and athletics facilities like the reimagined Hayward Field at the University of Oregon. Through tireless advocacy for both SRG and the broader community, Yrazabal upholds design excellence, positive change and the fostering of strategic partnerships that will serve the built and natural environment for years to come. 

Julio Kowalenko, cofounder of Atelier Caracas

Julio Kowalenko   is  an  architect   and  visual  artist   that lives and works in Caracas, Venezuela. Operating as a platform for formal, cultural and aesthetic investigation spanning architecture, furniture and fashion, Atelier Caracas draws strong influences from pop culture and everyday, as-found objects to create alluring spaces and objects at once humorous, thought-provoking and symbolically charged. In 2017, he recieved his bachelor’s degree in architecture from Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV) where he currently teaches history of architecture and architectural theory.  

Lorcan O’Herlihy, founder and design principal of Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects [LOHA]

Since founding his Los Angeles- and Detroit-headquartered firm LOHA in 1994, Lorcan O'Herlihy has built more than 90 projects across three continents. His commitment to design excellence in commercial, educational, and residential projects earned him a nomination to the Academy of Arts and Letters, and over 100 national and international design awards. O’Herlihy is currently a professor at the University of Southern California, and serves on the Board of Directors of Storefront for Art and Architecture. He is a licensed architect in California, Michigan, Florida and North Carolina, and is a GSA Design Excellence Program Peer.

Nathan Watts, creative director of Interstore

Nathan Watts was appointed creative director of Interstore, a world-leading design agency in food retail, at the beginning of 2020. Based in London, he leads teams across their European networks of studios, tasked with pushing forward the creative excellence for their flagship projects across the world. He was previously Creative Director at Fitch in London and Mumbai. During his 15 years with the agency, he implemented projects for brands and retailers in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and North America for clients including Lynk & Co, HSBC, Disney, Esprit and Centrepoint. He studied product design at London’s Kingston University.

Nic Granleese, CEO and cofounder of BowerBird

A resident of Australia city Cairns, in Queensland, Nic Granleese is the CEO and cofounder of BowerBird, an online platform that connects architects and journalists around the world. Prior to BowerBird, he was an internationally recognized architectural photographer and a registered architect in Australia. He earned his degree at the Queensland University of Technology. 

Simon Goff, founder and director of Floor_Story

Simon Goff established Floor_Story, an independent and design-led flooring brand specialized in rugs, in 2016. After following various jobs within interior design and travel, he worked alongside his father to run a flooring concession on the King Roads, followed by a flooring department in Heals, before setting up Floor_Story in Shoreditch. Goff’s inspiration and creative direction derive from a love of travel, mid-century style, art and music. Working with new and established creative talent, he aims to produce innovative, unique rugs which stand alone in the industry.

Ting Yu, cofounder and chief architect of Wutopia Lab 

Cofounded by Ting Yu, Shanghai practice Wutopia Lab regards the city’s culture and lifestyle as a starting point and uses architecture as a tool to promote sociological progress within building practices. Yu is a professor-level senior engineer – he received a bachelor of architecture from Tsinghua University and earned a Ph.D of architectural design and theory from Tongji University. The architect is also the cofounder of Let's Talk and the Urban Humble Space Revival Plan. 

Tobias Geisler, cofounder of VAVE Studio

An experienced brand consultant, interior designer and creative director, Tobias Geisler believes in the power of space to tell immersive stories that people can experience, remember and share. Together with Haijie Hu, he started VAVE Studio, a Shanghai- and Frankfurt-based creative agency that works with cultural and corporate clients alike. The multidisciplinary team of consultants, architects, designers and creative technologists transform brands through strategy, design and technology, and has created installations at Milan Design Week and Design Shanghai.

Victoria Yakusha, founder of Yakusha Design

Named Ukrainian Designer of the Year in 2019 by EDIDA, Victoria Yakusha is an architect and creative director. She founded Yakusha Design Studio in 2006, working on architecture and interiors. And, in 2014, she launched Faina, a collection of furniture and décor rooted in her native country’s heritage, in response to socio-cultural changes there. She aims to revive ancient crafts and regional traditions through objects and spaces, while combining them with a minimalist, sustainable approach suitable for modern living. 

Yenchih Wang, president and chief designer of GD-Lighting Design 

Engaged in the lighting design industry for many years, Yenchih Wang’s rich experiences have given him a unique international perspective and diverse design methods. He founded GD-Lighting Design in Hong Kong in 2004, a comprehensive lighting design company that offers indoor and outdoor fixtures and consulting services, with branches in Shenzhen, Ningbo, Beijing and Qingdao. The team’s projects include the Shekou Sea World Culture and Arts Center, Nanjing International Convention Center of the Second Youth Olympic Games and Chao Hotel. Wang is a professional member of the IALD and a registered member of the IESNA.