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JOANA FORJAZ
Joana Forjaz
Lighting designer
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From her childhood spent in the Sintra mountains in Portugal, she felt the power of light and its movement.
Master in Architecture from the Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, and with a year of architectural studies in Rome (La Sapienza University) - she quickly packed her bags and headed to London in 2011, to learn about light and lighting, concluding the Master of Science at UCL - University College London.
Founder & Architect at Joana Forjaz Lighting Design, Lisbon
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It was in this melting pot of London, and experiences around the world, that she absorbed knowledge in the area, before returning to Portugal with the desire to create her own Project.
Forjaz is based in Lisbon, near the Tagus River, and it develops Lighting Design Projects mostly in the hospitality and residential sectors.
joana forJaz talks
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"Light is not just illumination - it’s emotion, poetry, and transformation.
It shapes experiences and evokes sensations.
It’s a dance between what is seen and what remains in the shade.
My creative process lives in the balance between intuition and technique, emotion and science.
It is an intimate journey between my inner world and the surrounding architecture.
This work is rooted in feelings, planning, precision, and a deep understanding of lighting equipment and its tecnhique.
Light must serve both form and function - it should elevate the atmosphere while responding to context, sustainability, and user experience.
Above all I believe light has the power to improve lives.
Light design can enhance well-being, mood, and the way we relate to our surroundings.
It creates comfort, cosiness, stimulates the senses, and fosters a deeper connection between people and space.
In this way, lighting design becomes not only an artistic and a technical discipline, but a contribution to human experience and quality of life."
For me, lighting design is more than a profession - it’s a way of expressing who I am and an extension of my essence.
I see spaces as living sculptures, full of presence, waiting to be revealed. My role is to feel them and enhance their soul through light. - Joana Forjaz