about

Studio ZNA is a creative lighting design practice established in 2006 and directed by Zerlina Hughes.

We offer a specialist understanding of light and form. The dynamic nature of light, informs our work and stimulates our design process.

We have extensive experience in museum & gallery, high end retail, commercial & residential buildings, theatre, opera and film.  

Our practice is built on collaboration.

We thrive as part of the creative team and find that close collaboration with the client, designers and artists we work with stimulates innovative

and fulfilling solutions that reward and satisfy the end user.

ZERLINA HUGHES

founder and DIRECTOR

Zerlina studied at Goldsmith’s College and the Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, and has over  25 years’ experience as a lighting designer in architecture, theatre, opera and film.

Early in her career she worked as an assistant to director Mike Leigh on ‘Naked’, ‘Career Girls’ and ‘Secrets and Lies’. She was lighting design consultant for Warner Bros’ ‘Batman Begins’. Her theatre designs include projects at the National Theatre, London’s West End, New York Broadway and Sydney Opera House. In opera, she has worked extensively in Europe, particularly in France, Italy, Denmark and Sweden, where she won best lighting design award in 2003.

Zerlina formed her own award-winning lighting design practice in 2006, where she heads a small team of designers specialising in exhibition, gallery and architectural lighting.

Carolina Sterzi

ASSOCIATE

Carolina graduated as Interior Designer in 2007 in Milan, Politecnico, Faculty of Architecture.

Her passion in lighting design started as an investigation of urban landscapes for her MA thesis on cities soundscapes. Soon her main focus became the relationship between daylight and architectural space. She completed her postgraduate Master’s degree in Lighting Design at Milan’s Polytecnico in 2009. Later that same year she won a prize at the “LED light exhibition design” awards in Milan, with the installation “The Cherry Orchard”, inspired by the homonymous play by Anton Chekhov.

She is also a qualified IPAF operator, holding the 3a-3b certificate to operate on Mobile Elevating Working Platform.

LISA SGHIRLANZONI

Lighting Designer

Lisa graduated in Architecture from Politecnico of Milan and during the years of university she acquired a keen interest in lighting in architectural and urban space contexts, with particular focus on cultural buildings. Her intense curiosity led her into a new academic and professional direction and in 2015 she achieved a postgraduate Master’s degree in Lighting Design at Politecnico of Milan.

She started working in the lighting industry with Artemide srl where she was involved with a wide variety of projects. Lisa continued her career in London and joined Studio ZNA in 2016.

Since then she has gained extensive experience in the lighting design of cultural buildings and in museum and exhibition lighting, participating at every stage of the project, both in the studio and on site.

She previously worked at AR-Co’ Architecture and Cooperation, an independent studio based in Milan, so she also has experience with sustainable and environmental architecture. 

DOGAN KOZAN

Lighting Designer

Dogan is a lighting designer coming from an engineering background. He graduated in Electrical Engineering from Istanbul Technical University, Turkey in 2006 and has worked ever since within the field of lighting. He worked in Turkey for the first 3 years before moving to London to continue his career as Lighting Designer at ARUP. He joined Studio ZNA in 2012.

He has worked on many architectural lighting projects in both public and private sectors. The main body of his work has been in retail, museums, sports lighting and historical & sacred buildings.

Through working on such a variety of projects he has knowledge of many different aspects of lighting including internal, external, landscape, performance, tv, etc.

ROB WOODLEY

TECHNICAL MANAGER

Rob graduated in 1998 from Rose Bruford College with a BA Hons in Lighting Design. Previously his main body of work was in live performance, be it theatre shows in the West End (as well as touring), ballet, opera, contemporary dance, festivals, exhibitions, art installations, conferences, event management, film and television. His work within large-scale public events includes London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic opening and closing ceremonies and he regularly works on Marking of Midnight London New Years Eve celebrations. During his time at Studio ZNA he has furthered his range by focusing on lighting for exhibitions and galleries.

During his career he has built up a huge level of experience across the different disciplines of these industries and has developed an eclectic skill set.

Julie Riley

Practice Manager

Julie manages the practical, contractual and financial aspect of all of our projects as well as assisting with client liaison. Internally she also oversees the resourcing of projects and other organisational and administrative aspects of the studio.
She has worked for design companies working within the Museum and Gallery sector for 15 years, starting out at Casson Mann first in an administration and then PR role. After this she moved to Nick Bell Design where she continues to work also. Her experience equips her with knowledge of the business and the skills for communicating well with people both internal and external to the company. Julie keeps our projects and working relationships on track.

She has a musical background as a performing/recording artist which she continues to pursue.

Laika

OFFICE DOG

Laika is very experienced at being an office dog. Though she can be very playful she is also very well behaved and able to keep quiet.

Her main task is to enhance well being in the studio which she does very well.

email

info@studiozna.com

phone

+44 (020) 3745 6170

address

Studio ZNA, Unit 1, 133a Church Walk, Stoke Newington LONDON N16 8QW