What's your favorite restaurant? The Commodore in Williamsburg. They have the best fried chicken and vacation drinks, bad lighting though...

Who is your favorite artist? Sabine Marcelis. She uses light, translucent solids, and liquids to create the most beautiful and memorizing objects and experiences.

What's your drink of choice? Rose Kennedy Tito’s. There is no other. (Tito’s Vodka and Soda with a Splash of Cran)

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? I've wanted to be an architect for as long as I can remember, and I always loved lighting. After architecture school I was glad to find that I could do both!

Why Focus Lighting? Lighting can change a persons feeling and mood. Focus Lighting doesn't only illuminate the architecture, we completely transform the space into somewhere you want to be and feel great in.

What's your favorite city? Copenhagen is amazing! I went there as a 14-year-old to visit relatives and they took me to Tivoli Gardens (an amusement park built in the 1800s). There were rides and games, and I even got to see the legendary Dizzy Gillespie play! But the best moment for me was experiencing how the park transformed at night. That was probably the first time I really appreciated how powerful light could be. 20 years later, I returned to Tivoli Gardens to design the lighting for their largest amusement rides, and it was just as enchanting as I remembered. 

What's your drink of choice? A Bulleit bourbon Manhattan - neat!

When do you do your best thinking? In the sleepy minutes between my wife Carrie's first alarm going off, and when I finally drag my ass out of bed. My brain seems to use that time to organize my day, remind me of things I've forgotten about, and work through my biggest problems. 

What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time? Anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE to slalom waterski. 

Why Focus Lighting? That's easy - everyone here is family.

What’s your favorite city and why? My favorite city is Venice, Italy. It is a place of pure magic, gorgeous art, calming beauty and delicious food.

What’s my drink of choice? A Cappuccino in the morning and a Negroni in the evening.

What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time? I enjoy spending time in the kitchen experimenting with new dishes and learning new techniques. I also love to take care of my plants, the forest is slowly growing.

When do you do your best thinking? When I am meditating.

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? An inventor.

What’s your favorite restaurant? Nestled in the hills above Tremezzo on Lake Como, Italy is a family run restaurant called La Fagurida. I think I could look at that view and eat polenta with roasted garlic and cheese every day except I wouldn’t be able to get up from the table after the 3rd day.

What's your favorite book? World's End by T. Coraghessan Boyle.

What's your favorite city? Paris has the perfect combination of food, wine and architecture.

What's the best thing you've ever done? Bought a really big trampoline in college - it's how I met my wife. 

What gets you out of bed in the morning? My kids making pancakes. 

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? A lighting designer - seriously. 

What's your favorite Focus Lighting project? One of them is Andaz Maui at Wailea - it's hard to beat a resort project in Hawaii, and the spectacular beach setting was a real inspiration for the project. So much of the design was about framing the views out to the surrounding landscape, and highlighting the natural local materials. (And all those site visits weren't half bad...)

Who inspires you? In lighting design, it's our own JP Lira. He's so creative, and never stops: one time we were getting on a plane, and standing on the jetway he looked at me and said "This is the corridor at FIT" (a project we were working on at the time) and he was right, the proportions were the same, and the lighting layout was very similar to what were were proposing, and there I was just waiting to get my seat. 

When do you do your best thinking? In the shower, the challenge is to remember all my brilliant ideas once I've dried off and can write them down. 

The best feeling in the world is.. when I make my toddler son laugh, can't beat it.

Where did you grow up? My dad was in the Air Force, so growing up I lived in Washington, the Philippines, California and Texas. 

What's your favorite city? I love New York for its energy, and I know it isn't a city, but I love Hawaii too. I always feel so at home there.. it's the island girl in me. 

The best feeling in the world is.. eating dessert. I have such a sweet tooth and always have room for a treat after my meal (or even before).

What's your drink of choice? Iced coffee, and because it's always 5pm somewhere, a dirty vodka martini please!

If you could relive any one moment of your life, which would it be? Holding my son for the first time - so many different emotions that I had never before felt. Nothing existed in that moment except us two. 

What's your favorite restaurant? Give me cheese and wine and I am a happy person. I usually choose a restaurant for its design instead of the menu. I can cook myself.

Who is your favorite artist? I don't have one in particular. I like to see and learn about as many artists as I can because each of them has something different to communicate. 

What's your favorite city? I love New York, but I am Italian and Torino is in my heart. 

What gets you out of bed in the morning? The fact that something interesting can happen!

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? When I was a kid I wanted to be a princess. Things did not go as planned! 

Who inspires you? My grandparents - two of the kindest, most caring people I know. 

The best feeling in the world is.. the excitement as the lights go down before a Broadway show. 

When do you do your best thinking? Just before falling asleep - I keep a stack of notecards nearby just in case I need to write something down. 

You get to bring one thing with you to a deserted island - what is it? A camera, to document my hilarious attempts to escape the island. 

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? A professional Lego builder. 

Who is your favorite artist? If I go traditional route of fine art probably Casper David Friedrich, Gustav Klimt, Monet, Degas. Slightly less traditional then Olafur Eliasson and Yayoi Kusama, I particularly like what they do with light and the ephemeral as a subject matter.

What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time? Oh man. I see a lot of live entertainment-plays, musicals, dance, comedy shows, concerts. I might not be in live entertainment anymore but I like keeping up with it. And I’m currently searching for the best soft serve in NYC which I tend to leave to the warmer months.

What’s your drink of choice? At a bar, a vodka tonic

At a cafe, an iced macchiato or matcha latte

Everyday, a seltzer either LaCroix or Hal’s if I can find them.

What’s your favorite season and why? Spring! I love the cool weather and new blooms, plus the idea of a new beginning and new growth. Plus my first year in NYC I went to the cherry blossoms and now I’m hooked! I try to go every year.

What's your favorite city? New York, because it's open 24/7.

The best feeling in the world is.. seeing my family happy. 

What's the best thing you've ever done? Giving back to people in need. 

When do you do your best thinking? After a cold one. 

You get to bring one thing with you to a deserted island - what is it? Water!

Who inspires you? My parents. They have taught me how to be responsible. and always do things right, and to feel proud of my achievements. Those are values I will always carry with me.

What’s your drink of choice? Black coffee, preferably dark roast and done in a French press. Or, depending on the location and occasion, I'm between a Negroni or Gin and Tonic.

What’s your favorite season and why? That’s easy - Summer all the way. I was born during the summer solstice. I love sunbathing, the outdoors, and of course, pools.

Where did you grow up? Guadalajara, Mexico. The land of Tequila and Mariachi.

What’s your favorite Focus Lighting project? Tao Downtown. When I took my sister there, she took one look inside and said it was the coolest restaurant she’d ever seen.

Who inspires you? Leslie Knope.

What’s your favorite season and why? Fall. Seasons don’t really change much in Miami. It was cool to see the leaves change my first fall away from home.

What gets you out of bed in the morning? Usually my cat walking all over my face.

You get to bring one thing with you to a deserted island - what is it? A plane and a pilot. I think it counts as one if the pilot is in the plane.  

What's your favorite Focus Lighting project? The Entel Tower in Chile. It was the first automated color-changing building in the world - running off of information stored on floppy disks. It also had soft blends of color and became the icon for Entel Communications, the largest telecommunications company in Chile.

What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time? Glass blowing. As is lighting design, glass blowing is a combination of art and physics.

What's your favorite restaurant? Morimoto in Philadelphia. It has internally illuminated glass divider between all booths. It was one of the first restaurants to use LEDs and it slowly shifts through a "sunset" custom color palette in 1-hour cycles. There were a number of challenges with the design; the biggest was how to cut through the colored light to create a constantly beautiful warm glow at each table. Completely unchanged a decade-and-a-half later, Morimoto remains as a highly-regarded dining experience. The food is great too!

The best feeling in the world is... walking into a space that looks and feels so wonderful, that it evokes an emotional connection within you. This is why with every project, we aim to begin with a single concept that resonates across the entire design. As lighting designers, we have a unique ability to visualize the finished design - to see the light reflected off each surface and into our eye. Our most successful projects were collaborative efforts where we offered input during the initial concept meetings, which helped create a strong, memorable design.

What's your favorite Focus Lighting project? It would have to be the Ocean Wonders: Sharks! exhibit at the NY Aquarium. It has been in design and construction for so long (over a decade) that as completion nears, the anticipation of finally giving these sharks a new home is immense. I cannot wait to take my kids there once it's finished!

Who is your favorite artist? How could I ever choose one!? I love cubism, constructivism, suprematism - all those great avant-garde movements.

The best feeling in the world is... being alone in a dark restaurant in the wee hours of the morning before opening night, stepping through each lighting treatment one by one and watching the vision come together. There is a huge amount of satisfaction and excitement.

What gets you out of bed in the morning? My little kids, yelling and pulling on me.

Who is your favorite artist? Rodin. I could sit in the Musee Rodin sculpture garden for hours.

What's your favorite city? San Francisco. It's compact enough to walk around and has a great food scene. 

What's the best thing you've ever done? Sailing in Greece and Croatia. 

You get to bring one thing with you to a deserted island - what is it? I prefer paper books, but if it's my only option, I'd buy a Kindle (assuming the island has wifi??)

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? A princess, obviously. 

Who is your favorite artist? I can’t pick just one. Top 5: Frida Kahlo. Louise Bourgeois. Yayoi Kusama. Nan Goldin. Dan Flavin.

What’s your favorite city and why? New York because there’s nothing like it – the energy, the spirit, the inspiration, the history, the people, the food!! It’s my home, and I’ll never, ever leave it. Unless I’m going to Rome, which is the second greatest city in the world because of all the same reasons I love New York plus ruins!

What’s the greatest movie of all time? The Princess Bride. It has everything: Love! Revenge! Pirates! ROUSes! Mandy Patinkin! Andre the Giant! It’s just the GOAT.

What’s the best thing you’ve ever done? Raise two of the kindness, smartest, funniest, coolest, most loving kids to ever walk the earth.

What's your favorite Focus Lighting project? The TAO restaurant in Downtown NYC. It's an expansive space, but the design team did an amazing job of incorporating a high level of detail into every corner. 

Where did you grow up? A small (I mean one stoplight small) town in rural Connecticut. 

What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time? I usually like to read some sort of non-fiction book to teach myself a new skill, like brewing or a new programming language. 

What gets you out of bed in the morning? My alarm clock tries to.

What's the best thing you've ever done? Whichever new project I'm working on. I strive to make sure my best is never behind me. 

Who inspires you? My mom. She taught me not to take life (and myself) too seriously.

The best feeling in the world is… hard-earned accomplishment.

Where did you grow up? Ukraine. Where the rivers flow and the mushrooms grow.

If you could relive any one moment of your life, which would it be? Watching the sunrise at the beach with my boyfriend. We saw dolphins.

What’s your favorite book? Brave New World by Aldous Huxley.

What’s your favorite Focus Lighting project? Ocean Wonders: Sharks! at the NY Aquarium. It was one of the first projects I had the privilege of working on, and though I only came in at the tail end of it all, seeing it completed reminds me that in working at Focus, I am a part of something beyond architectural – the work we do is artistic, theatrical, and explores creative solutions and challenges that haven’t been explored before.

Where did you grow up? Stormville, NY

What’s your drink of choice? For most of my life, it’s been Lipton Peach Iced Tea, but since working in Harlem, I’ve been converted to Peach Snapple. Blasphemy, I know.

When do you do your best thinking? Bright and early, when the sun still low and everything is quiet and cool.

What’s your favorite season and why? Winter! I hibernate in the summer heat, but when the snow and cold come, I go out to play. Snowshoeing, ice skating, snowmobiling…all the best activities are Winter activities.  

What's your favorite Focus Lighting project? The Times Square Ball, because I never really thought about someone having to design it before I came to work at Focus. 

Who inspires you? Kind strangers on public transportation.

What's your favorite city and why? New York City, because there's always a restaurant open and you never have to drive. 

What do you do first in the morning? Drink water, and then promptly reward myself for being so healthy with an entire pot of coffee.

You get to bring one thing with you to a deserted island - what is it? A tiny umbrella for the drinks that I'm assuming are already on this island. Otherwise why am I going? 

What's your favorite city? New York City. It's such melting pot of culture and always fun and exciting. 

If you could relive any one moment of your life, which would it be? Walking through the Andes Mountains under moonlight for hours to get to the next campsite. 

What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time? Spending time with my kids, and sharing with them my love for things like badminton, juggling, bocce and futbol. 

What gets you out of bed in the morning? Three little creatures who want breakfast.

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? An explorer to the unknown.

Where did you grow up? I was born and raised in Ecuador. I lived in a valley town called Patate, which was forty minutes away from the city Ambato, where I went to school. I loved how sunny and warm it was throughout the year, and its proximity to nature.

What’s your favorite city and why? New York without a doubt. It’s impossible not to love its creative spirit and energy. It’s my source of inspiration.

Barcelona also has a special place in my heart, for its architecture, its charming yet mysterious vibe and its beaches.

What’s your drink of choice? A Chelada, preferably with a Corona Beer.

When do you do your best thinking? In the late hours of the night, when I’m about to fall asleep. You can’t get that kind of peace and quiet at any other time of the day.

What’s your favorite season and why? Summer! - Because it means sunny skies, warm temperatures, and longer days.

What's your favorite city? Rome - great food, and beautiful art and architecture. There's something about the city and its energy that immediately reminded me of NYC and made me feel at home. I love to travel and explore new places as often as possible. 

The best feeling in the world is... hearing my son laugh. It makes my heart feel full in a way I've never before experienced. 

When do you do your best thinking? On the subway.

What's your favorite season? Fall - I love the nice crisp air after a hot summer, and the beautiful foliage. I grew up in Southern California, and somehow even after 20+ years in NYC, the novelty of seasons changing hasn't worn off. 

You get to bring one thing with you to a deserted island - what is it? An escape plan.

What is your favorite Focus project? Ocean Wonders... it combines my three favorite things: apex predators, environmental art, and Focus Lighting!

Who is your favorite artist? Albert Einstein. I believe that great thinkers, artists and scientists have much in common, and Einstein happened to use his creative thinking to develop revolutionary art... that today we call science!

When do you do your best thinking? Sunday afternoons... every Sunday I practice what I call "innovation hour," in my most relaxed state, I take an hour to brainstorm new, unparalleled ideas!

If you could relive any one moment of your life, which would it be? Hiking 11 miles through the Haleakala Volcano in Hawaii...why? Because I felt like I was on Mars!

You get to bring one thing with you to a deserted island - what is it? My sketchbook (and a pen)

Why Focus Lighting? I feel like a storyteller again! Part of what drew me into lighting design was the power to set the mood and atmosphere of a space. Like supporting a story. I feel that Focus Lighting shares that same passion as I do.

What is your favorite book? The Princess Bride. Best story out there. Enough said.

What is your favorite city and why? New York City! There are so many shows to see and things to do! Not to mention, superb lighting design everywhere you look.

The best feeling in the world is… Seeing your artistic vision come to life. Whether on a stage or in a restaurant. My long hours of drafting and studying have put this into existence for people to enjoy.

If you could relive any one moment of your life, which would it be? When I sailed to Antarctica. I can still remember when I woke up one morning and found our cruise ship sailing past glaciers with penguins relaxing on top and pods of whales following us. The ocean was so blue and crisp. It was unlike anything I have ever seen before, and it made me realize that our world is so big and beautiful.

Where did you grow up? In the suburbs of Dallas, TX. It was great growing up so close to a major metropolis, but also near the "boonies" as my friends and I affectionately called the more rural surrounding counties. I got to experience a taste of both worlds. 

The best feeling in the world is.. lingering on the edge of uncertainty and surprise. That feeling of anticipation and all the emotions leading up to the final moment of discovery. 

What do you do first when you wake up in  the morning? Stumble groggily into the kitchen for my morning caffeine shot. Thanks to my lovely Italian roommate, I'm now addicted to espresso!

What's your favorite season? Spring! Because it means warm weather is on its way and as a Texas girl I really can't handle the NY winters.

If you could relive any one moment of your life, which would it be?  The night I saw the Milky Way and stars more clearly than I've ever seen. I was traveling in Laos staying in a village with no electricity. I've never been so awed by the beauty of nature as I was in that moment. 

What’s your favorite Focus Lighting project? Mystery Point, it’s a Georgian home with an industrial interior design, in the middle of the woods - who would’ve thought? Focus went in with such great ideas and although the project is not yet finished, it already looks amazing. And there have been rumors going around about paranormal activity occurring… how cool!?

The best feeling in the world is... remembering there's sriracha in the fridge. Or avocado, or sriracha AND avocado!

What do you do first when you wake up in the morning? Try to remember my dream. It’s your subconscious trying to tell you something. I once lost my keys and dreamed about finding them, surely enough they were exactly where I found them in the dream…the bottom of my hamper.

Why Focus Lighting? Because I like to learn. I went to school for interior design and I NEVER thought I would end up at a lighting design company. I always think about a fortune cookie quote above Stephanie’s monitor- “If you understand what you’re doing, you are not learning anything.”

Who is your favorite artist? I dont have one. There are so many creative people out there coming up with new ideas and inspiration everyday. 

What's your favorite book? If I have to choose just one, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

What's the best thing you've ever done? Backpack around Asia. Experiencing different cultures and places is life changing. 

What's your favorite season and why? Fall. Everything about it: the weather, the smells, colors, and definitely the flavors. 

If you could relive any one moment of your life, which would it be? I had been biking around Bagan, Myanmar all day, and on the way back to the hotel, about three miles away, my bike's chain broke. Not even a minute later, a boy who barely spoke English stopped to help. He left and came back before the end of the night with no less than ten other people who eventually helped get me back to my hotel. Whenever I start to feel jaded, I remember that moment and how often we forget how much small interactions and kindnesses matter. 

What's your favorite book? Oh come on! Seriously? That's too broad. If you had said favorite 19th Century English novel (David Copperfield), or 20th Century philosophy (Justice by Michael Sandel), or post-World War II European history (Postwar by Tony Judt), or presidential biography (Truman), or recent US history (Command and Control by Eric Schlosser), I could answer. But favorite book of all? I can't. 

What's your drink of choice? Coffee. (But if you had some Bailey's to go with that..)

If you could relive any one moment of your life, which would it be? My son's birth. It was a bit of a blur. 

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? An options trader. Can you just imagine?

Why Focus Lighting? The people. There is no place else where I could work with so many passionate, talented, smart, kind, and funny people. 

What’s your favorite restaurant? There is a place back home where they serve popovers instead of bread at the beginning of the meal. I would go there for just those popovers alone!

Who is your favorite artist? It is probably a cliché answer for a lighting designer, but I was taken by Caravaggio’s work when studying Art History. While often featuring off-putting subject matter, the dramatic way he rendered light is captivating.

What’s your favorite city and why? Boston, since it’s the city I know best and where I grew up. It is such a fascinating mixture of disparate identities, where around one corner you’ll have a historic building from the revolutionary war - but around the next is a skyscraper that you swear wasn’t there last month.

When do you do your best thinking? When I’m trying to go to bed. I’ve had some of my best ideas while trying to get some rest – which can make it harder to fall asleep!

Why Focus Lighting? It’s such a collaborative place where everyone puts their strengths forward to help produce the best quality work. I think the emphasis on continual growth and the openness to explore all ideas, whether from a Principal or Junior Designer, really helps shape what it means to work at Focus.

What’s the best thing you’ve ever done? Traveled around all of Australia for six months. From Perth to Brisbane and most places in between, and I can’t wait to go back one day.

What’s your favorite season and why? I simply love winter. Falling snow, the feel of a warm coat, and seeing your breath hang in the air. It doesn’t get much better than that for me.

What’s your drink of choice? Scotch and soda.

What’s your favorite city and why? It’s a tough call but I’ll say Sydney. Some of the friendliest people you’ll meet, great museums and zoos, and variety of food to meet anybody’s appetite. Throw in some of the best beaches I’ve seen and it’s a pretty tough place to beat.

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? Either a hockey player or a lawyer

What’s your favorite restaurant? Mariella in Brooklyn. Handmade pasta and good wine is my kind of night and I went there with my best friend to celebrate me starting at Focus.

What’s your favorite book? “Elsewhere” by Gabrielle Zevin. It’s a book I first read in middle school and I’ve come back to it at different points of my life to find something new.

The best feeling in the world is… Getting to the subway platform right when the train arrives.

What’s the best thing you’ve ever done? Adopted my cat. He has been my constant partner over the years and I haven’t felt lonely since he came home with me, in good and bad ways.