Kaoru Mende is a prominent figure in the architecture and lighting design industry in Japan. He was born and raised in Tokyo in 1950, earning his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Industrial and Environmental Design from the Tokyo University of Art. In 1990, he founded Lighting Planners Associates Inc. (LPA).
His design expertise spans from architectural and residential design to urban and environmental lighting design. Currently, Mr. Mende also serves as the acting team leader of the "Lighting Detectives," a group specializing in the study of lighting culture. With the philosophy of "learning from nature," Kaoru Mende and his colleagues at LPA have collectively created remarkable projects, showcasing unique and distinctive features across Asia and in various countries around the world.
Some of his notable signature projects include: 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 Master Plan Lighting, Alila Villas Uluwatu, Gardens by the Bay, Tokyo Station, Aman Tokyo, and Gifu Media Cosmos.
Awards received by Mende include the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) Award of Excellence, International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) Radiance Award, Japan Design Culture Award, Mainichi Design Award, Singapore President's Design Award, among others. Mende is also a visiting professor at Musashino Art University and a part-time lecturer at Tokyo University of Art.
Furthermore, he is a member of associations such as the Architectural Institute of Japan (AIJ), Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES), International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD), and Japan Design Committee (JDC).
