Lighting Planners Associates (LPA) is an organisation of lighting specialists established in 1990 led by Kaoru Mende. The goal of LPA is to design and build outstanding lighting environments that enrich our architectural and lighting culture. Today, LPA has a total of 60 unique lighting specialists at its offices in Tokyo, Singapore and Hong Kong. While the majority of LPA projects are in the area of architectural lighting design, its many outstanding design accomplishments have reached to residential, hotel, office, commercial, public space, and landscape lighting as well as full-scale urban lighting projects. LPA is regarded as a leading lighting consultancy in the world.
The most important aspect of lighting design is learning from natural light. Through the designing for superior lighting environments, LPA strives to create comfortable, yet inspiring environments of daily life.
For a successful and elaborate lighting scheme, LPA recommends being commissioned for all the phases in every project. These phases include a wide range of services classified in the following order:
Office Complexes, Museums, Theaters and Auditoriums, Retail and Commercial Facilities, Hospitality Buildings, Residential Buildings, Healthcare, Transportation Facilities, Sports Facilities, Civic and Institutional Buildings, Educational and Religious Buildings
For projects in which detailed phase-wise involvement is not required, LPA offers consultancy services within which we contribute to the overall improvement in the visual environment. Such consultancy services are generally of the nature of limited time-based involvement in the following areas:
1. Consultation to Corporate firms on effective and efficient usage of their illuminated environments
2. Consultation to City Authorities and likewise organizations on procedures of evaluation and guidelines for the lighting aspect within Urban, Environmental and Architectural projects
LPA engages extensively in lighting product development, concept planning and applications design. We are also involved in collaborative development with industry manufacturers on product and systems design.
4. Investigative studies for the lighting industry dealing with effects of light on human behavior and cityscapes
LPA is constantly involved in lighting design education and tries to boost the prestige of lighting culture on a regional as well as global scale. The approach is to create an awareness of the benefits of good lighting and encourage good lighting practices across all demographics. LPA has experience in the following areas:
We like to be involved in projects right from the early stages (Concept Design Phase + Schematic Design Phase) to fully consider what the concept and theme should be for the lighting design. We use this phase to properly understand the architectural intent and strategy, and then based on the lighting requirements, are able to prepare a lighting design concept.
Based on the approved lighting concept, during this phase we present the necessary lighting effects and techniques for a project. Generally, there is always more than one possible lighting method, and we like to consider as many options as possible without limiting our freedom of thought and targeting the given conditions of a project. Also, approximate cost estimates are analysed through feasibility studies.
During this phase, we target feasible options from our initial design framework for finalisation. After many consultations with the Client, architects, and other consultants on the project, we analyse our design in greater detail to prepare documentation for approval. LPA lays emphasis on the overall cost of the lighting proposal and maintenance-friendly design during this phase.
During this stage, we will recommend to the Client, suitable contractors and/or suppliers/manufacturers who may be invited to submit tenders for the lighting works and supply contract, and assist the Client and other appropriate professional consultants where necessary in short-listing of tenderers. Drawings, Specifications, Schedules and Details that are necessary for the sake of complete comprehension of our design intention and strategy are given to the tenderers. We also assist the Client in evaluating the tender returns and the acceptability of the prices quoted. Interviews and sample tests are also part and parcel of this stage.
Lighting design can only be complete at the construction site. Many times, drawings alone cannot correctly communicate our design intent and to clarify our ideas to the builders on-site, we hold a special lighting design briefing. We also anticipate the process and flow of each construction site to confirm lighting effects through mock up experiments on-site or to adjust for other design changes. Focusing and coordination of operation scene changes are important steps just before the final commissioning.
During this stage, we conduct the final setting up of the lighting scenes to our satisfaction and to match the design intention. A maintenance schedule is prepared and handed over to the Client for future reference. The Client and consultants are usually invited to the site to see for themselves the lighting effect and feedback is taken. Minor tweaking to the lighting effect may be made during this stage. Any defects noticed are notified to the relevant parties for immediate rectification within the Defects Liability Period. A certificate of completion is also handed over to the Client from us.
Born in Bangkok, Thailand. In 2005, Angkana graduated from Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok with a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture. After 7 years of working experience as a lighting designer in Bangkok, she joined LPA Singapore office in 2012.
Notable projects include 8 Ardmore, CHIJMES, Leedon Residence, 185 Commercial Tower, Wadala Development, Worli Mumbai, Marriot Edition at Sanya, Exhibition Lighting for National Gallery Singapore, Gaysorn Quarter Bangkok, Concourse, CPEX, Narathiwas at Bangkok.
Born in Kanagawa Pref., Atsushi Itakura received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Design from Tokai University, Kanagawa Pref., Japan. After graduation he worked at TL Yamagiwa Laboratory and then joined to COOPER Lighting/ Lumiere in California , U.S.A. as a product designer. After that, he joined the LPA-Singapore office in 2003, and then moved to LPA-Tokyo office in 2006, and juggling numerous lighting design projects in the Asian region.
Since 2012, he moved to Hong Kong and working for LPA Hong Kong office as representative. Notable projects include: Changi Airport Terminal 2 Upgrading, New National Library Bldg., Supreme Court of Singapore, The Westin Gurgaon, New Delhi, Sheraton Seoul D-cube City Hotel, Shanghai IFC and Hong Kong ICC. He is a member of International Association of Lighting Designers(IALD).
Born in Kanagawa Prefecture, Chika Makabe received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics from Keio University, Tokyo, and both a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Rhode Island School of Design, USA. She has been with LPA since 1999 and has experiences in designing commercial facilities, hotels, office buildings, housing complexes, and landscaping in Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan and Singapore.
Born in Nagano Prefecture, Emiko Nagata received an Associate of Applied Arts Degree in Interior Design from The Art Institute of Seattle, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Interior Design from the Illinois Institute of Art, both in the USA. After graduation she worked at J.Miller & Associates Ltd, Seattle and joined NBBJ, Seattle later on before joining LPA in 2003.
Born in Fukuoka, Genki Watanabe graduated from The Central Academy Of Drama in Beijing, Department of Stage Art. Genki joined LPA in 2010 and relocated to the Hong Kong office in 2013. He is handling several important projects in China as coordinating designer with the client and project team directly.
Hiroshima-raised, Haruka Sakoda graduated from Kyoto Institute of Technology, Department of Architecture and Design and later, also received a Master Degree in Architectural Design. Haruka joined LPA in 2010 and relocated to the Hong Kong office in 2012. She knows the importance to observe and to experience the light in the process of lighting design. So, she have carefully effect.
Notable projects include: Fujimi The Tower, Event lighting for Sanlitun Village North, Shangri-La Hotel Sydney Ballroom Renovation, Vivanta by Taj Dwarka, ICC Hong Kong and The Manhattan.
Born in Saitama Prefecture, Junko Nagatomo graduated from the Seitoku University Junior College Domestic Sciences Dept. with an emphasis in apparel. Nagatomo is head of project budgeting, finances, and contract agreements with an accuracy and readiness to support an efficient design business.
Kaoru Mende was born in Tokyo in 1950, earned a bachelors and masters degree from Tokyo University of Art in the field of industrial and environmental design. In 1990, he founded Lighting Planners Associates Inc. The scope of his design and planning activities ranges widely from residential and architectural to urban and environmental lighting design. Mende is also the acting chief of the “Lighting Detectives”, a citizens’ group that specializes in the study of the culture of lighting.
Mende has been involved in such superb projects as Tokyo International Forum, JR Kyoto Station, Sendai Mediatheque, Roppongi Hills, Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims, Kyoto State Guest House, National Museum of Singapore, Singapore City Center Lighting Master Plan, Alila Villas Uluwatu, Gardens by the Bay, Tokyo Station, Aman Tokyo, and Gifu Media Cosmos.
Awards Mende has received include the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) Award of Distinction, International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) Radiance Award, Japan Culture Design Award, Mainichi Design Award, President’s Design Award in Singapore and others. Mende is a visiting professor at Musashino Art University and a part-time lecturer Tokyo University of Art. Mende is a member of the following associations, Architectural Institute of Japan (IAIJ), Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES), International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD), and Japan Design Committee (JDC).
Books Mende has authored include, “Transnational Lighting Detectives” (Kajima Publishing), “LIGHTING DESIGN for Urban Environments and Architecture” (Rikuyosya), “Designing with Shadow” (Rikuyosya), “The Light Seminar” (Kajima Publishing), “A Manner in Architectural Lighting Design” (TOTO Publishing), “LPA 1990-2015, Tide of Architectural Lighting Design” (Rikuyosha), and many other.
Born in Tokyo, Kentaro Tanaka received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Scenography and Display Design from Musashino Art University, Tokyo. He began his career at LPA in 1995 and his works are vary from commercial facilities, hotels, office buildings, housing complexes, and landscaping in Japan, Seoul, Singapore, and Thailand.
Born in Osaka, Kyoko received Bachelor of Arts Interior and Spatial Design at Chelsea College of Arts in London、UK. After graduation she experienced shop design, production design and supervision in various companies and she worked as Designer in Interior Design Firms based in Singapore for 7 years before joining LPA in 2011. She has great reputation of scrupulous design, and the earnest work manner during construction supervision.
Born in Tokyo, Mari Kubota received a Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Architecture from Tokyo Metropolitan University. She began her career at LPA in 1994 and her works vary from commercial facilities, governmental facilities, office buildings, housing complexes, and landscaping in Japan and Singapore.
Born in Yokohama, Mayumi Banno studied in Fullton-Montgomery Community College in New York. She worked as a Lighting Designer for 2.5 years in Tokyo before joining LPA in 2011 and relocated to Singapore office in 2015. She has been involved in mixed-use developments, commercials, offices, and residential projects.
Born in Fukui Prefecture, Mikine Yamamoto graduated from the Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Architecture at Meijo University. After working at an architectural office, he joined LPA in July 2005.
He also researches daylight in lighting design, CG simulations and animation applications for interoffice use.
Born in Hiroshima, Misa Fujii graduated from Kyushu Institute of Design, Depertment of Environmental Design and later, received a Master of Architecture, Major of Environmental Psychology from Kyushu University. Misa joined LPA in 2008. From 2008 to 2010, she mostly worked on hotel and theater projects. She is also involved in Lighting Detectives activities such as Candle Night @ Omotesando, Eco-Avenue and many others.
In 2011, Misa transferred to LPA-Singapore for one year and was involved in local projects. After returning to Japan, she was involved in notable projects in Singapore, China and Japan including St. Regis Osaka, Kanagawa Art Theatre, Seoul D-Cube City, The Westin Gurgaon New Delhi, Sheraton Hotel Seoul and CTF East Tower Guangzhou. She is an member of International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD).
Born in Tokyo. Misuzu Nakamura majored in architectural design and lighting environment at the School of Engineering of the University of Tokyo and the ENSA de Paris La Villette. (with the exchanging program, AUSMIP) After receiving a Master of Engineering degree, she joined LPA in 2010.
Notable projects include: Tokyo Garden Terrace Kioicho, The Prince Gallery Kioicho, Ichibancho annex museum, Minna no mori Gifu Media Cosmos, etc. She also work on the analysis of nightscapes various cities.
She is a member of Architectural Institute of Japan(AIJ). License of Architects/Building Engineers in Japan. She is also a member of International Association of Lighting Designers(IALD).
Born in Tokyo, Momoko Muraoka received a Master of Architectural design at the Graduate School of Art and Design from University of Tsukuba. Since she began her career at LPA in 2005, she has focused her energy and skills on diverse international lighting design projects.
Born in Tochigi Prefecture, Motoyo Yano graduated from the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering at The University of Tokyo, and she joined LPA in 2006. Since then, most of her work has revolved around public space, hotel, and residential design projects along with helping publication of recent LPA works and other involvement in PR.
Born in Kumamoto Prefecture, Noriko Higashi received a Bachelor Degree of East Asian Studies from University of California, Los Angeles. She joined LPA in 2010 as a secretary of Principal Kaoru Mende.
While supporting his business, she is also in charge of LPA’s publicities so that the completed projects and activities of LPA are to be press-agented widely. She focuses on Lighting Detectives administration and planning, as well as Lighting Detectives' events that take place at home and abroad.
Born in Thailand, Phraporn received Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. After 3 years working as Landscape Architect, she proceeded to study and received Master of Architectural Lighting Design from University of Wismar, Germany in 2008. She had a brief experience working in lighting design firms in London and Germany, before joining LPA in 2009.
She has experience working on condominium & residential projects, education facilities and public botanical gardens.
Notable projects include Education Resource Center at NUS, Singapore, ITE Central, Garden by Bay at Marina South, Capri Hotel by Fraser, The Interlace, Singapore University of Technology and Design(SUTD), Library @ Orchard, MOH Mixed-use Development, and NUH.
Reiko Kasai has been with LPA for more than 20 years, and she is the driving force behind LPA’s Singapore office.
She joined LPA’s Tokyo office in 1995 with the initial responsibility of planning and organizing non-profit activities involving the innovative use of lighting to reach out to the broader public. Her commitment and creativity developed from these initial programs into the lighting detectives forums, exhibitions and publications.
She relocated to Singapore at the end of the year 2000, to develop the current success of LPA’s performance in the South Asia region. Under her leadership, the Singapore office has grown both in size and reputation.
She holds a master’s degree in Music, was a concert pianist, and has studied and lived in both the United States and Europe. Her cosmopolitan attitude and sensitivity to music allows her to have a deep understanding of design, culture and architecture composition. This unique calibre of hers stimulates and supports the intangible and sensitive design components of the company.
Her perception and vision have contributed to the current international expansion of LPA. Her future commitment will ensure the company’s mission of inculcating the sense of lighting to the world.
While Reiko oversees the operations of the Singapore office she is also an active writer, reporting design, architecture and lifestyle of the region to major publications in Japan.
Born in Indonesia, grew up in Sydney, Australia. Ryan completed his studies in Architecture and Photography which led to his keen interest in lighting. He began his lighting design career in Sydney in 2006 and relocated to Singapore in 2009. He joined LPA Singapore in 2016 and brings his vast international project experience in aviation, commercial and large-scale mixed use developments. His responsibilities include project coordination, detail design development and implementation.
Born in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Sachiko Segawa graduated with a B.A. of Musashino Art University. After graduation, she worked at DAIKO Electric co., LTD. she later graduated with a M.A. of Architectural Lighting Design at Royal Institute of Technology (KTH). She later joined LPA in 2012.
Notable projects include Ooita Prefectural Art Museum, Museum shop of Tokyo National Museum, The Lalu Qingdao, New World Centre, Dongguan International Trade Center and Menara Astra.
She is in charge of Transnational Lighting Detectives and Japanese Regional Coordinator of International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD).
Born in Chiba Prefecture. Shunichi Ikeda received a Bachelor of Design Degree in Department of Scenography, Display and Fashion Design from Musashino Art University in 2007. After 2 years of working experience as a Lighting Designer at DAIKO Electric in Japan, he joined LPA in 2009 and relocated to the LPA-Singapore office in 2013, and juggling numerous lighting design projects in the Asian region. Since 2017, he returned to LPA-Tokyo office.
Born in Guangzhou, China. Yu Ye received bachelor degree in Industrial Design from Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts of China in 2004 and proceeded to study lighting design in Musashino Art University in 2008. She joined LPA in 2014 . Before it, she has 5 years experience in the filed of lighting design. She is deeply familiar with China lighting industry, business and good command of communicate with site team.
Notable projects include: Huizhou Le Meridien Hotel, The Sanya EDITION, Guangzhou Liede Mall, Shanghai RHXC Lot10. She is a professional member of International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD).
Born in Tokyo Prefecture, Yukiko Saito graduated from Japan College of Foreign Languages English Communication Course, and worked at an airline company before joining LPA in 2004. She is in charge of accounting, general affairs and interoffice communications.
Born in Kanagawa, Yumi Honda graduated from University of Tokyo, Department of Architecture and later, also received a Master of Architectural Design from Graduate School of Engineering. Joining LPA-Tokyo in 2010, and has been involved in a wide range of domestic and international projects. Yumi transferred to LPA-Singapore for one year in 2012, and returned back to Tokyo.
Born in Tokyo, Yusuke Hattori graduated from Tokyo Institute of Technology, Department of Architecture with an emphasis in Architecture and Building Engineering and later, also received a Master Degree in Engineering. Yusuke joined LPA in 2006 and relocated to the Singapore office in 2008.
Over years of contribution to the professional lighting industry, LPA has won numerous awards for various notable projects.
Oct 2013 Preservation and Restoration of the Tokyo Station Marunouchi Building Illumination Award / Award of Merit IES
The New Yorker is one of our most respected publications, and for good reason — they occasionally foretell the future.
Within just a day or two, we learned that White House Chief of Staff, Reince Priebus, widely seen as among Trump’s trusted inner circle, was let go following a blow up between him and the new White House Communications Director, seen below sizing Priebus up in the Oval Office.
Start the clock. We anxiously await The New Yorker’s inevitable next piece of illustrative clairvoyance.
Posted on July 31, 2017 July 31, 2017 Categories TrollingTags Cartoon, Cycle, Hiring, House, Illustrates, Perfectly, Trumps, White, Yorker