our jury

meet our Community of jurors

a diverse group of distinguished experts whose experience, creativity, and insight shape the evaluation process. Explore their backgrounds, achievements, and design philosophies, and discover the professionals guiding our competitions with expertise, integrity, and a global perspective.

  • Black and white photo of a smiling woman with long hair, standing outdoors with a building and trees in the background.

    Lucia Oberfrancová

    Research assistent & teacher at Hochschule Wismar

    Lucia Oberfrancová, PhD, graduated in architecture from the Slovak University of Technology in 2008, focusing on ecological and experimental design. A DBU scholar, she researched earth-sheltered architecture at Hochschule Wismar, where she now teaches sustainable building and energy assessment. Her work bridges research, digitalisation, and innovative ecological architecture.

  • Black and white portrait of a smiling young woman with dark curly hair pulled back, wearing earrings and a checkered long-sleeve top, against a plain light background.

    Ilse martinez

    Lighting Designer at Licht Kunst Licht

    Ilse Martinez, born in Mexico, graduated as an architect in 2020. She pursued a master’s in Architectural Lighting Design at Hochschule Wismar, which opened international opportunities. After working in London with Foster + Partners, she joined Licht Kunst Licht, where she now develops innovative, sustainable, and context-driven architectural lighting design solutions.

  • Black and white portrait of a smiling man with short hair and a beard, wearing a collared shirt, sitting indoors with a blurred window view in the background.

    Liam Hayward-Mills

    Architectural project manager & designer

    Liam, based in Vancouver, holds a B.Arch from BCIT and a Master’s from Wismar (DAAD scholarship). With six years leading multi-family projects, he creates community-focused, sustainable spaces. His thesis proposes off-grid, self-sustaining communities for remote workers, blending innovation, sustainability, and a strong sense of belonging.

  • Black and white portrait of woman with shoulder-length wavy hair, glasses, and a collared shirt, looking at the camera with a slight smile.

    Afaf Badran

    Founder of Darbellabbana

    Dr. Afaf Badran, pioneering architect since 1980, worked internationally before leading prestigious projects in Saudi Arabia as the first practicing woman architect. Founder of Darbellabbana Group and Center in Cairo, she combines design, teaching, and mentorship, with postgraduate expertise in Environmental Design, promoting architecture, culture, and sustainable development.

  • Black and white photo of a man wearing a baseball cap and scarf, standing outdoors near a body of water with a cloudy sky.

    Ruben Jodar

    Professor at Hochschule Wismar

    Ruben Jodar, Barcelona-born architect, co-directs a Berlin office and teaches Experimental Design in Wismar. Since 2010, he has advanced innovative public space interventions and participatory architecture with StiftungFREIZEIT. With international teaching and prototype-building experience, he previously collaborated with Zumthor, Eliasson, and MVRDV, holding degrees from Waseda and ETSAB Cum Laude.

  • A young man with short dark hair and a goatee smiling for a selfie outdoors with a historic stone castle and city landscape in the background.

    Jorge Andrade

    Lecturer at PUCE Ibarra - Ecuador

    Jorge, architect (PUCE) and urban planner (Melbourne), focuses on context-driven architecture using local resources. He researches public space, mobility, and river recovery, teaching at PUCE Ibarra. Awarded multiple national and international prizes, his work integrates heritage preservation, sustainability, and inclusive urbanism, shaping Ecuador’s built environment with cultural and ecological sensitivity.

  • A woman with curly hair smiling, wearing earrings, a necklace, and a light scarf, in front of a blurred background.

    Mariam Korachy

    Founder of Mariam Korachy Architects

    Mariam Korachy, architect and founder of Mariam Korachy Architects, holds a BA from Cairo (2001) and an MSc in Conservation from KU Leuven (2010). With expertise in heritage conservation, restoration, and museum exhibitions, she has led projects in Historic Cairo while also practicing architecture, interior design, and furniture design.

  • Black and white photo of a smiling man with wavy hair wearing a white collared shirt.

    Hartwig Duensing

    Founder of Duensing Architekten

    Hartwig Duensing, studied at TU Braunschweig, TU München, and TU Berlin, earned his diploma in 1989 with a thesis on Munich’s fairground expansion. In 1992, he co-founded Duensing Edye Architekten and later founded Duensing Architekten in 2012. With 30+ years’ experience, he continues shaping architecture through innovative, enduring design.

  • Black and white photo of a young man with dark hair, wearing a button-up shirt, sitting indoors with a blurred background that includes some plant foliage and a window or light source.

    Luis Loaiza

    Associate & Landscape Architect EDSA, inc.

    Luis, driven by curiosity and a love for the arts, works at EDSA, Inc., leading innovative, sustainable projects worldwide. With a background in experimental research, he blends creativity with practical solutions, shaping art galleries, recreational landscapes, and restorative environments. His community-focused, multidimensional approach enhances spaces and fosters meaningful impact.

  • Black-and-white portrait of a young man with short dark hair, a beard, and mustache, smiling, wearing a collared shirt over a white t-shirt, standing against a plain wall.

    Maged Elbanna

    Architect, computational designer and AI specialist

    Maged, based in Hamburg, Germany, with international experience across Europe, Japan, and the Middle East. Passionate about leveraging AI to enhance creativity, they integrate advanced computational tools into both the artistic and technical aspects of architecture, pushing innovative design boundaries globally.

  • Black-and-white photo of a young man with dark hair, beard, and mustache, wearing a collared shirt and a chain necklace, standing against a plain light-colored background.

    Martín André Gaibor Sánchez

    Architectural designer & Budget Control Analyst

    Martín, an architect graduated from Universidad San Francisco de Quito, combines creativity, analytical thinking, and strategic management. Currently a Budget Control Analyst at Uribe Schwarzkopf in Quito, he leverages his architectural expertise to optimize resources, align costs with project goals, and ensure design functionality while maintaining financial efficiency and project feasibility.



  • Black and white photo of a smiling woman with long hair, standing outdoors with a building and trees in the background.

    Lucia Oberfrancová

    Research assistent & teacher at Hochschule Wismar

    Lucia Oberfrancová, PhD, graduated in architecture from the Slovak University of Technology in 2008, focusing on ecological and experimental design. A DBU scholar, she researched earth-sheltered architecture at Hochschule Wismar, where she now teaches sustainable building and energy assessment. Her work bridges research, digitalisation, and innovative ecological architecture.

  • Black and white portrait of a smiling young woman with dark curly hair pulled back, wearing earrings and a checkered long-sleeve top, against a plain light background.

    Ilse martinez

    Lighting Designer at Licht Kunst Licht

    Ilse Martinez, born in Mexico, graduated as an architect in 2020. She pursued a master’s in Architectural Lighting Design at Hochschule Wismar, which opened international opportunities. After working in London with Foster + Partners, she joined Licht Kunst Licht, where she now develops innovative, sustainable, and context-driven architectural lighting design solutions.

  • Black and white portrait of a smiling man with short hair and a beard, wearing a collared shirt, sitting indoors with a blurred window view in the background.

    Liam Hayward-Mills

    Architectural project manager & designer

    Liam, based in Vancouver, holds a B.Arch from BCIT and a Master’s from Wismar (DAAD scholarship). With six years leading multi-family projects, he creates community-focused, sustainable spaces. His thesis proposes off-grid, self-sustaining communities for remote workers, blending innovation, sustainability, and a strong sense of belonging.

  • Black and white portrait of woman with shoulder-length wavy hair, glasses, and a collared shirt, looking at the camera with a slight smile.

    Afaf Badran

    Founder of Darbellabbana

    Dr. Afaf Badran, pioneering architect since 1980, worked internationally before leading prestigious projects in Saudi Arabia as the first practicing woman architect. Founder of Darbellabbana Group and Center in Cairo, she combines design, teaching, and mentorship, with postgraduate expertise in Environmental Design, promoting architecture, culture, and sustainable development.

  • Black and white photo of a man wearing a baseball cap and scarf, standing outdoors near a body of water with a cloudy sky.

    Ruben Jodar

    Professor at Hochschule Wismar

    Ruben Jodar, Barcelona-born architect, co-directs a Berlin office and teaches Experimental Design in Wismar. Since 2010, he has advanced innovative public space interventions and participatory architecture with StiftungFREIZEIT. With international teaching and prototype-building experience, he previously collaborated with Zumthor, Eliasson, and MVRDV, holding degrees from Waseda and ETSAB Cum Laude.

  • A young man with short dark hair and a goatee smiling for a selfie outdoors with a historic stone castle and city landscape in the background.

    Jorge Andrade

    Lecturer at PUCE Ibarra - Ecuador

    Jorge, architect (PUCE) and urban planner (Melbourne), focuses on context-driven architecture using local resources. He researches public space, mobility, and river recovery, teaching at PUCE Ibarra. Awarded multiple national and international prizes, his work integrates heritage preservation, sustainability, and inclusive urbanism, shaping Ecuador’s built environment with cultural and ecological sensitivity.

  • A woman with curly hair smiling, wearing earrings, a necklace, and a light scarf, in front of a blurred background.

    Mariam Korachy

    Founder of Mariam Korachy Architects

    Mariam Korachy, architect and founder of Mariam Korachy Architects, holds a BA from Cairo (2001) and an MSc in Conservation from KU Leuven (2010). With expertise in heritage conservation, restoration, and museum exhibitions, she has led projects in Historic Cairo while also practicing architecture, interior design, and furniture design.

  • Black and white photo of a smiling man with wavy hair wearing a white collared shirt.

    Hartwig Duensing

    Founder of Duensing Architekten

    Hartwig Duensing, studied at TU Braunschweig, TU München, and TU Berlin, earned his diploma in 1989 with a thesis on Munich’s fairground expansion. In 1992, he co-founded Duensing Edye Architekten and later founded Duensing Architekten in 2012. With 30+ years’ experience, he continues shaping architecture through innovative, enduring design.

  • Black and white photo of a young man with dark hair, wearing a button-up shirt, sitting indoors with a blurred background that includes some plant foliage and a window or light source.

    Luis Loaiza

    Associate & Landscape Architect EDSA, inc.

    Luis, driven by curiosity and a love for the arts, works at EDSA, Inc., leading innovative, sustainable projects worldwide. With a background in experimental research, he blends creativity with practical solutions, shaping art galleries, recreational landscapes, and restorative environments. His community-focused, multidimensional approach enhances spaces and fosters meaningful impact.

  • A young man with dark hair and a beard smiling, wearing a button-up shirt over a white t-shirt, against a plain wall.

    Maged Elbanna

    Architect, computational designer and AI specialist

    Maged, based in Hamburg, Germany, with international experience across Europe, Japan, and the Middle East. Passionate about leveraging AI to enhance creativity, they integrate advanced computational tools into both the artistic and technical aspects of architecture, pushing innovative design boundaries globally.

  • A black and white photograph of a young man with dark hair, facial hair, and a serious expression, wearing a dark collared shirt and a necklace, standing in front of a plain wall.

    Martín André Gaibor Sánchez

    Architectural designer & Budget Control Analyst

    Martín, an architect graduated from Universidad San Francisco de Quito, combines creativity, analytical thinking, and strategic management. Currently a Budget Control Analyst at Uribe Schwarzkopf in Quito, he leverages his architectural expertise to optimize resources, align costs with project goals, and ensure design functionality while maintaining financial efficiency and project feasibility.