2026 EXPERT JUDGING PANEL

The expert judging panel for the seventh Awards included prestigious creative practitioners and renowned industry experts each with unique knowledge and experience of architecture, design and image creation. With members of the panel from notable studios and collectives including; ZHA, Foster + Partners, BIG, AL_A, Hayes Davidson and POor Collective

JIM HEVERIN

Director at ZHA

Jim joined ZHA in 1997 and has worked on a variety of completed projects from pavilions to offices, museums and sports venues. He became an Associate Director in 2006 and Director in 2013, and currently is responsible for the overall management and delivery of key projects.

As Project Director, Jim lead the teams for the London 2012 Aquatics Centre and the Investcorp Building at Oxford University, and more recently for the Al Janoub Stadium in Qatar and the world’s first all timber Eco Park Stadium for the Forest Green Rovers in Stroud.

NARINDER SAGOO MBE

Art Director, Senior Partner at Foster + Partners

Narinder Sagoo is a visionary architectural artist and Senior Partner at Foster + Partners. With over 27 years of experience working alongside Lord Foster, Narinder's unique drawing skills have been instrumental in illustrating and communicating architectural visions for numerous projects, including The Great Court at the British Museum, Wembley National Stadium, and Apple Park in California. His unique role as an architect and artist, bringing value in conceptual design and strategic design direction.

Renowned for his perspective drawings, Narinder has produced over 15,000 illustrations for more than 2,200 architectural projects, many of which have been showcased at the Royal Academy of Arts and exhibited internationally. His ability to visualize the unbuilt world and capture its atmosphere has earned him recognition as one of the finest architectural artists of his generation, according to The Architecture Club.

ALICE DIETSCH

Director at AL_A

Alice Dietsch was made a director of AL_A in 2012 having joined Future Systems in 2006. An abstract thinker, she coordinates our competition entries, and relishes the development of innovative ideas within often tight budgetary and technical constraints. Of French origin, Alice often brings a fresh perspective to complex problems helping unlock a project’s maximum potential.

Alice led the V&A Exhibition Road from concept to completion and is currently leading the competition endeavours in the office including the recent shortlist for Louvre - New Renaissance, a transformational reimagining of the iconic museum that recalibrates its relationship with Paris through landscape, procession and a renewed architecture of discovery. 

ALEXANDRU MALAESCU

Partner at BIG

Alexandru joined BIG in 2018 and was appointed Partner in 2024. He leads Masterplanning, Urban Design and Landscape for the London studio, bringing extensive experience across the UK and the Middle East. His work spans a broad range of scales, contexts and typologies, from remote resort islands and temporary global expositions to new cities, urban centres, and complex regeneration districts.

Alongside the professional practice, Alexandru is a Lecturer at The Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London, where he teaches on the Master’s in Landscape Architecture. He also lectures internationally on BIG’s research and projects, with a particular focus on urban design, landscape, and the relationship between ecological systems and the built environment.

DAVID BULLOCK

Principal Creative Director at Hayes Davidson

As Principal Creative Director, David shapes Hayes Davidson’s creative vision and oversees all artistic output across the studio. With over 25 years of industry experience, he champions a unique mix of strategic insight, emerging tech and bold creativity, bringing fresh thinking and distinctive visual storytelling to the international built environment to ensure the studio consistently delivers exceptional, beautifully crafted visual experiences.

AKMARAL KHASSEN

Architectural Designer at POoR Collective

With a background in architecture, Akmaral works across multiple disciplines, spanning illustration, public art, and large-scale installations. At POoR Collective, a socially driven design practice, she contributes to projects with a strong emphasis on community engagement and community-led design.  

EMILY GLYNN

Co-Founder, Architect at Archisource

Emily Glynn is co-founder of Archisource and the Drawing of the Year Awards. Emily is a passionate advocate for the role of creativity within architecture and design, and the benefits in sharing creative processes in inspiring others and empowering those to design a more creative world.

Having worked as an Architect at DSDHA, Emily has worked on a variety of community-led, cultural and London based projects. Emily remains deeply engaged in architectural education, leading the educational mission of Archisource as a global resource for millions around the world. Emily has also been an invited guest speaker at the University of Sheffield and is a keen to help creators of all kinds shape their own journeys in becoming inspiring architects and designers that will shape our built environments.

MANSEL HAYNES

Co-Founder, Architect at Archisource

Mansel Haynes is co-founder of Archisource and the Drawing of the Year Awards. Mansel is an Architect and has a profound belief in the transformative power of sharing creative processes. Mansel is dedicated to inspiring and empowering fellow creative thinkers to shape a more inspiring world.

Mansel has previously worked as an architect at Zaha Hadid Architects and is actively involved in architectural education, having been a guest speaker and external reviewer at the University of Sheffield. With a background in art and design, Mansel has worked on numerous international cultural projects and design collaborations.