New York, NY — October 26, 2026 — Global architecture and design firm HLW is pleased to announce the appointment of Fantina Barrera as the incoming Director for Spark Studio Lighting, the firm’s award-winning architectural lighting team. Trained in Mexico, Malaysia, and Germany, Barrera brings over a decade of experience lighting hospitality, residential, office, and public projects, with work spanning North America, the Middle East, Asia, and the Caribbean.
In her new role, Barrera will lead Spark’s team of lighting designers, continuing a legacy of creating beautiful and effective visual environments for a wide variety of project types. She will inspire creative and thoughtful concepts, integrate the latest technology in the team’s processes, and respond to clients’ needs for comfortable, energetic, and productive spaces.
“We are thrilled to welcome Fantina Barrera as the new Director of Spark,” said Scott Herrick, AIA, Partner and current Managing Director of Spark. “She brings a wealth of experience that complements and adds new depth and capabilities to our portfolio. Her passion for design, attention to detail, and commitment to clients’ needs are setting the stage for future growth and development of Spark Studio Lighting Design as a significant player in the New York lighting design community. We look forward to her energy and enthusiasm building on the foundation of our award-winning design work.”
Most recently, Barrera rose from Senior Designer to Associate Principal at Reveal Design Group, managing lighting projects from concept through commissioning. She was responsible for overseeing the team and handled business development alongside collaborators including Meyer Davis, Rockwell Group, Gensler, AvroKO, and Sasha Bikoff.
“I’m thrilled to join Spark and honored to lead this talented team, whose work inspires me,” said Fantina. “Lighting is the language through which I express my creativity, and I’m excited to carry Spark’s vision forward and grow together with our clients. I believe that light isn’t an add-on, but it is part of the architecture and shapes how people experience a space.”
In earlier roles at HLB Lighting, ICRAVE, and OVI she developed lighting concepts for Mercado Little Spain, Marquee Nightclub Singapore, and Sushi Samba Riyadh, among many others. Barrera has also worked on notable projects such as the renovation of the Waldorf Astoria Boca Raton Resort Club, Al Wasl Plaza at the World Expo in the UAE, and the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. She began her career in Mexico as co-founder and lighting designer of Alykäs Barrera & Barrera, her family’s practice, where she deepened her passion for the built environment.
Barrera holds a Master of Fine Arts in Architectural Lighting Design, cum laude, from Hochschule Wismar in Germany and a B.A. with Honours in Industrial/Product Design from the Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí in Mexico. She also completed a Continuing Education Diploma in building lighting systems at Parsons School of Design. She was named to the lighting industry’s 40 Under 40 by Light Collective from 2023 and serves on the board of the Designers Lighting Forum of New York (DLFNY). Barrera is active in the industry, participating as a DLFNY Board Member, IESNA (Illuminating Engineering Society North America) Member, Women in Lighting + Design Member, and a Professional Women in Construction Member.
Since 2017, Spark has designed lighting for commercial, media and entertainment, broadcast, residential, public, and institutional projects, working both as a specialty studio of HLW and for clients in the broader market. The studio has won multiple awards for its work, most recently a Lumen Award for Charter Communications, the Guth Award for Lord Abbett, and a Beacon Award of Excellence for Fordham University. Under Barrera’s guidance, the studio plans to expand into the hospitality and retail sectors in addition to strengthening its current portfolio in the corporate, legal, tech, and institutional sectors.
About HLW
HLW is a full-service design firm that exemplifies the best in client-focused design thinking. Since our establishment in 1885, we have sustained our business by embracing new ideas, pioneering technologies, and inspired aesthetics while staying true to a foundational belief that our work serves to help people and organizations excel. As part of that mission, we integrate advanced sustainability and wellness best practices into all our projects. From Alexander Graham Bell to Google, HLW has always taken pride in attracting clients that recognize and share our enthusiasm for creating the future.
To learn more, please visit www.hlw.com.
About Spark Studio Lighting Design
Spark Studio Lighting Design LLC is a dynamic architectural lighting design firm, redefining spaces around the world with creative and innovative lighting solutions. From corporate headquarters and campus buildings to custom fixtures and theatrical installations, Spark Studio’s visionary team has transformed over a million square feet of space, collaborating with industry leaders like Google, New York Life, Capital One, JPMorganChase, Charter Communications, and Fordham University. Committed to wellness, sustainability, and cutting-edge technology, Spark Studio illuminates spaces in ways that endure and inspire. Discover more at: www.sparksld.com.