BigFire Grill

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Shawn Whitaker

Principal

After earning a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the California Institute for the Arts, Shawn has applied his lighting and project management expertise to numerous architectural and themed projects over the past two decades. His worldwide range of experiences include nightclubs, casinos, theme park attractions, cruise ships, retail, and hospitality resorts throughout the U.S., the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Japan, China, Indonesia, South Korea and Malaysia.

Carrie Walker

Associate

Since completing her degree in lighting design from Parsons The New School for Design, Carrie has had the opportunity to design lighting for projects ranging from historical renovations to casinos. Her interest in sculpture and installation work combined with years of building paper and fabric forms led to a career in professional lighting design. Building on these experiences, Carrie developed a diverse knowledge of required for successful design, from the physicality of light to communicating ideas to protecting design intent through the construction process. Carrie’s additional work experience includes serving as a lighting agency sales representative, a lighting instructor at the University of Tennessee and participating in the 2010 public lighting workshop hosted by Targetti in Florence, Italy.

Vivianne Vianna

Associate Principal

Vivianne started her 15 year+ career as a lighting designer in New York after receiving her degree in Architecture in Brazil. She has a thorough understanding of the nature of light and how it impacts environments and the people who inhabit them. She approaches each project open to the possibilities of developing unique lighting solutions and has worked across a wide selection of interiors from Healthcare, Retail, Commercial, Corporate and Residential projects in which she has participated. She works closely with other team members, in all stages of a project, from preliminary layout to the final job site visit, lending her technical skills to help chart a design’s success. She was an architect prior moving to the US, and continued her education focusing on interiors and lighting design before joining CD+M in 2014.

Deepak Venugopal

Designer

Deepak’s drive to learn and attention to detail motivated him to take up the roles of Lighting Designer and Visualizer at CD+M. He identifies and reviews opportunities to envision the final lighting design for Clients using his software skills and technical knowledge.

Batuhan Tumba

Associate

Batuhan’s (Batu’s) interest in lighting developed through his 3D artwork, in which he experimented with adding lighting effects to architectural designs. Through this process, he realized the depth and dimension that well-designed lighting can bring to architecture, and its positive impact on the people who use those buildings. He focused on Urban Design and Architectural 3D Visualization, first receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in City and Regional Planning from Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts, Istanbul and then a Master of Arts in Architectural Lighting Design from Hochschule Wismar, Germany. In his project work, Batu maintains a passion for creating atmospheres that are both user-friendly and inspired. He believes that lighting has the power to affect our visual and emotional perception, providing the users of buildings and spaces with the best possible experience.

Chris Stewart

Senior Associate

Chris has years of experience in the architectural design profession after earning a Masters Degree in Architecture from Savannah College of Art & Design, designing commercial offices, private residences, retail centers and public sector projects. During his tenure at CD+M, his focus shifted to design technology, developing standards and methods of applying innovative uses of computer technology (both CAD and BIM) to the specialized profession of lighting design.

Melissa Sparks

Senior Associate

With a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Rhode Island College, Melissa’s professional lighting design background includes hospitality venues, museums, science centers, amusement parks, office developments, and retail malls. With extensive experience providing both design and site supervision services, she is able to skillfully carry a range of projects through from conception to completion.

Anjan Sarkar

Associate Principal

Anjan Sarkar joined CD+M in 2006, focusing on academic, corporate, healthcare, ecclesiastic and mixed-use projects. Contributing a vast knowledge of design principles, technologies and sustainability practices, he works closely with clients to develop aesthetically pleasing and sustainable architectural spaces. Mr. Sarkar also holds a Bachelors degree in Architecture with practice in the field for 6 years, and a Masters degree in Engineering of Lighting and Electrical systems. Mr.Sarkar is a LEED® Accredited Professional and an Associate Member of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America. He has been a speaker at Lightfair®, as well as numerous USGBC and IESNA forums, and serves on the boards of several IESNA Committees.

Stalin Ramirez

Associate

Stalin received his Masters in Fine Arts specializing in lighting design from Parsons The New School for Design and has 15+ years of experience in the entertainment industry with events ranging from concerts, theatre, fashion shows, industrials and more. He has applied the entertainment craft in South America as well, in Argentina, where he worked for theatre shows and music festivals ranging from Argentinian folk to latin rock. Overall, Stalin is passionate about lighting design in the constructed environment, specifically the artistic idea of converging architectural and theatrical lighting techniques into contemporary urban design.

Fazaan Puthiya

Senior Associate

Fazaan completed the Masters program in Architectural Lighting Design from KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden after receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the reputed National Institute of Technology (NIT) Calicut. His work in the Middle East spans a wide range of diverse project types with dual experience both as an Architect and Lighting Designer.

Antonio Perez

Designer

With a Bachelors degree in Fine Art from California Institute of the Arts, Antonio has experience working on light and spatial installations and sculptures, as well as in scenic design for the Coachella Music Festival and Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland California.

Reza Parsa

Associate

With Bachelor degrees in both Architecture and Interior Design and a Master’s Degree in Urban Design from the University of Central Tehran, Reza has worked for Clients across the world with a wide variety of cultural backgrounds. For most of the past decade, his work has been centered around the use of Building Information Modelling (BIM), mostly for multi-unit residential and commercial projects. As a designer, he has always been thrilled by the fusion of “the natural” and “the man-made” and Frank LIoyd Wright’s work “Fallingwater” is a particularly marvellous source of his inspiration.

Abhinaya Nagarajan

Senior Associate

Abhinaya holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture and a Master’s in Design (Lighting) from the University of New South Wales, Australia. Lighting had always felt like an after-thought in her practice as an Architect and that is how the career change enrolled. She believes that the understanding of the inherent emotional value in the construction of spaces and the ability of light to transform them, help determine the success of any design. Abhinaya’s attention to detail continues through all her work – from sketching out unique aspects during the conceptual stages of a project to making sure everything is aligned in presentations.

Jonathan LeMaster

Associate

With a Masters degree in Architecture and as an AIA Licensed Architect, Jonathan LeMaster has an educational background in both digital design and fabrication. He offers a strong source of digital design prowess, using the capabilities of technology as a tool to inform, challenge and shape the final product. Prior to joining CD+M, LeMaster worked for some of the largest architectural firms in the world including CRTKL, Perkins+Will, NORR and Parkhill.

Dennis Kradolfer

Associate

Dennis has a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design at the University of Florida and a Master’s in Lighting Design from Parsons School of Design in New York. Rooted in interior design, he developed a passion for the art and science of design and the ability of the built environment to impact human perceptions, behaviour, and well-being. He has applied his attention to detail, skilled technical approach, team-working skills, and dedication to clients across a broad spectrum of market sectors including residential, corporate, institutional, commercial and hospitality work. In his spare time, Dennis enjoys cooking (Peruvian Cuisine), Bikram yoga, and travel.

Bill Johnson

Principal

Bill Johnson established CD+M’s Dubai office in 2008 with his partner, Ted Ferreira, and has led the firm’s regional growth into a cross-section of markets and architecture including complex theme park venues, retail, hospitality, and public realm applications. With over 27 years of lighting and construction experience worldwide, Mr. Johnson has managed the design and site supervision of many high-profile projects in the North American, European, and Asian markets and brings a unique combination of global product knowledge, design, procurement, and site supervision skills to CD+M’s projects throughout the Middle East and India. He is Lighting Certified by the National Council on Qualifications for the Lighting Professions and a member of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America.

Syad Hassan

Designer

An experienced architectural and interior visualizer, Syed’s years of experience with REVIT and as a 3D modeler brings life and detail to CD+M’s work for clients throughout the MENA region.

Chris Garvey

Senior Associate

Prior to graduating from the University of California at Davis with a Bachelor of Design focused on interior and lighting design, Chris completed an internship at the California Lighting Technology Center at UC Davis where he worked to test new lighting technologies, lighting systems and control systems. His extensive work at CD+M runs the gamut from casino resorts in Las Vegas to theme parks in China, luxury hotels in Portland.

William Gajelonia

Designer

William received his Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Santo Tomas, Manila. Upon joining the Dubai office of CD+M, he chose to specialize in the field of lighting design and has earned considerable experience in the planning, design and construction of lighting for a diverse range projects in the institutional, leisure and healthcare sectors.

Ted Ferreira

Principal

As Managing Principal, Ted has been actively involved in the design and production of lighting for entertainment, educational, cultural and commercial projects spread across over 40 countries for 3 decades. His work ranges from conceptual design to project management and site supervision and has won numerous industry design awards including two IESNA Guth Awards of Excellence for Interior Lighting Design. Formerly an instructor in the Department of Theater, Film and Television at the University of California Los Angeles, Ted has also served as a contributing editor and board advisor for several internationally recognized trade publications and trade associations in the design profession and frequently lectures at industry events and conferences worldwide.

Waleed Fakousa

Principal

As a Director of the Dubai studio, Waleed has extensive experience collaborating with renowned architects and designers on high-profile projects around the globe. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Engineering and Building Technology and a Master’s degree in Architectural Lighting Design from the University of Wismar, Germany. His proven expertise, attention to detail and feasibility and concern for human wellbeing enable him to successfully design, manage and deliver a variety of project types, sizes, locations and demands from inception to realization. Waleed was awarded 40Under40 recognition by LUX magazine and has directed the design of a number of notable CD+M projects receiving Middle East Lighting Design Awards, the LIT award and most recently, the Dubai studio being named as Lighting Design Consultancy of the Year 2020 by Middle East Consultant magazine. Waleed directs the Dubai studio

Baiju Chaliyil

Senior Associate

Baiju Chaliyil has worked in the Gulf region for 17 years with a broad range of experience from work in Saudi Arabia to the recently completed Galleria Mall on Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi. His electrical installation and site supervision experience is broad based ranging from procurement reviews, extensive mock-up coordination, inspection, trade coordination, approvals, shop drawing review, focus and aim and programing. Working on a wide range of high-end projects has not only exposed Baiju to a wide spectrum of lighting applications, technologies and controls but also the importance of their relationship to materials and ambiance.

Noureddine Azri

Designer

Noureddine has a Masters degree in Architecture and Urbanism from The University of Mostaganem, Algeria. Lighting has always been a major factor in the way he approaches the design of spaces, which led him to join CD+M as a Lighting Designer. A true believer in the concept of “less is more”, Noureddine enjoys designing places that are simple but rich, minimalist but elegant and just like one of his idols ‘Tadao Ando’, he is always striving to create spaces that brings people’s minds and souls together.