THINKLIGHT Forum

Benjamin Heydon, Landscape Consultant

Benjamin Heydon is a Landscape Consultant to the Municipality of Abu Dhabi City and has worked in the specialist field of landscape architecture for over 15-years as a project manager, designer, planner and advisory roles.

His experience has been generated through extensive exposure to unique environments which has seen him work in Canada, Middle East, Australia and Africa, for both public and private sector clients. He has worked on a variety of projects from strategic frameworks, technical documentation, place-making development and landscape design.

Kristin Lee, Chair and Associate Professor of Interior Design

My undergraduate degree is in Women’s Studies, and that perspective has shaped how I view design. I am drawn to design as a balance of creativity and practicality, and that practicality can have a huge impact on people’s well-being.

I’ve worked on projects ranging from senior living to healthcare to large scale residential. How space impacts those who inhabit it is why I love design, and by teaching I get to share that
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Teaching allows me to connect with the next generation, and is more rewarding than I could have ever imagined. At AUD, we really do achieve a dialogue; it is a mutually beneficial relationship. Human’s experience of space happens on so many levels, we receive signals that we’re not even aware of. For many segments of the population, designing that space with the help of research will have positive results and better outcomes. This is the power of design.

Eleni Savvidou, Design Director

With a strong background in Architectural Lighting Design, Eleni recently joined Delta Lighting Design from New York City, USA. Eleni started her Lighting career in 1995 after graduating from Electrical Engineering, and Acoustics as a theatrical and TV Lighting designer. Her involvement in the Goulandris Museum in Athens Greece as a specifications and construction Engineer led her to New York in 2001. She received a Master’s in Acoustics form Aristotle Polytechnic University and a Maters of Fine arts in Lighting Design from Parson's School of Design in New York. She worked 7 years in New York as a senior lighting designer at L’Observatoire International. She completed projects in USA, New York, Boston, St Louis, MI, Richmond, VA, Nantucket, MA, Puerto Rico, Paris, France, and Singapore. Her expertise has been in Performing Arts Centers, Museums, Hospitality, Large Shopping Malls and Boutique Retail. Eleni was involved with the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, Lincoln Center Alice Tully Hall, Museum of Moving Image, Julliard Music and Performing Arts School in New York, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in VA.
Eleni has received multiple design awards through her career. In 2010, Eleni is a started her own lighting design company with projects in USA, Germany, Greece, India and Australia. Her expertise is mainly high end residential, galleries, private yachts and art installations. Eleni has been has been teaching Lighting, Sound and Video at the School of Journalism, Aristotle University in Greece, technical lighting and calculations at Parsons School of Design, and Lighting Design at the School of Visual arts in New York and been a public speaker for her projects in New York and Dubai. Eleni is a member of Illuminating Engineering Society Organization (IES) since 2001 and Design Lighting Forum Association (DLF).

Courtney Mark, Senior Associate

Based out of CD+M Dubai, Senior Associate, Courtney Mark contributes extensive knowledge and experience in international hospitality design to the CD+M team. Ms. Mark’s passion for the interaction between light and shadow as well as her sensitivity to the social aspect of space enable her to develop versatile, intentional architectural lighting designs. Over the past 15 years, she has played a leading role in the design, management and construction of many high profile and award winning projects spanning North America, Central America and Asian markets. Shifting her primary focus to hospitality lighting design in 2007, Ms. Mark has collaborated on projects in a range of markets throughout her career including landscape, master planning, city beautification, commercial and high-end residential. Prior to joining CD+M, Ms. Mark held a Senior Designer position with Reveal Design Group for two years and spent eight years as a Senior Designer and Associate with AWA Lighting Designers, leading the firm’s newest international design studio in New Delhi, India. Her work is frequently published in trade publications across the globe.

Dr. Dolli Daou, Director

Co-initiator of Project initiated in Paris 2014 by Gérard Vallin, Jean Lelay and Jane Smith. An interior designer with a Doctorate qualification in the fields of architecture and urban design with 18 years of teaching, research, quality assurance and leadership experience in interior architecture and in multi-disciplinary global design projects. Due to Dr. Dolli’s academic expertise and strong international alliances she became the Program Director of Interior Architecture and Masters of Interior Design at Swinburne University of Technology, in Australia and in Hong Kong, where she managed the reaccreditation of the program and was able to rebrand the program’s identity nationally and internationally through global projects and through local and international engagement with the interior architecture community. She was also invited to be on the Board of Directors and the Treasurer of the Board for Interior Design Educators Association (IDEA) for Australasia. She has gained great experience in design pedagogy, accreditation and curriculum development working as a reviewer with many international tertiary education quality assurance agencies. Dr. Dolli has completed a Doctorate in Philosophy in the fields of architecture and urban design. Her research explores the effect of war and violence on Beirut, Berlin, Mostar and Sarajevo and examines the city centre as an interior space/container, which transforms according to people's memories and everyday events.

Sakina Dugawalla-Moeller, Design Director

Borne out of a flair and passion for the creative, Sakina is founder and principal of Light.Func. A gregarious individual and professional designer with extensive experience in the Middle East region spanning 9 years, her passion envelopes all things artistic, with an innate focus on lighting design. Her work is most prominent not only in her professional aspirations but also investing in education and raising the bar of lighting design with fellow peers within the Middle East.