Mariel Fuentes completed her studies in Architecture in 1998 at the University of Chile, and later earned a Master’s degree in Interior Design from the University of Salamanca in Spain. She specializes in architectural lighting design. After working for 10 years in other studios, she began her independent professional career in 2016, subsequently co-founding MMAS Lighting with Michela Mezzavilla. Based in Barcelona, this multicultural lighting design studio primarily focuses on architectural lighting design. Currently, Fuentes serves as a member of IALD (International Association of Lighting Designers) and held the position of President of the Professional Association of Lighting Designers in Spain (APDI) from 2021 to 2024. She combines her work as a designer and director of MMAS Lighting with teaching. She is a professor in the Lighting Design Master’s programs at the UPC-Polytechnic University of Catalonia, BAU-University Design Center of Barcelona, and IED Barcelona-Higher School of Design. She has extensive local and international experience, working on projects in hospitality, restaurants, retail, artistic exhibitions, and residential spaces, among other typologies, always collaborating with multidisciplinary teams. Her work has been recognized with awards such as the IALD Awards, Lamp Awards, and the Illuminet Biennial.
Ph. Alvaro Valdecantos
