Studio ZNA
Studio ZNA is a London-based creative lighting design practice founded in 2006, serving museums, galleries, luxury retailers, and cultural institutions with conservation-grade, technology-driven lighting design across temporary exhibitions, permanent galleries, retail, architecture, and live performance projects worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Studio ZNA does
Studio ZNA is a London-based creative lighting design practice founded in 2006 by Zerlina Hughes. The firm provides specialist lighting design services across six core areas: temporary exhibitions, permanent galleries, retail, architecture, live art and theatre, and painting exhibitions. Its work combines creative lighting concepts with technical specification spanning LED technologies, DMX control systems, Bluetooth integration, daylight sensors, fibre-optic systems, and intelligent lighting controls, with particular specialism in conservation-grade lighting that maintains strict lux levels for sensitive museum objects. The team of nine includes creative, technical, and site-management roles, anchored by Founder/Creative Director Zerlina Hughes and Associate Director Saumya Monga.
The practice operates as a professional services firm, generating revenue through project fees for commissioned lighting design engagements. Its client base is dominated by major UK cultural institutions — V&A, National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, Courtauld Gallery, Tate Modern, Somerset House, Young V&A, Natural History Museum, and the National Science and Media Museum — supplemented by luxury retail brands (Asprey, Assos) and selected healthcare and theatre projects. The firm works in close collaboration with leading UK exhibition designers (Storey Studio, Casson Mann, JA Projects, OMMX, Nebbia, Asif Khan Studio, Nissen Richards Studio) and AV designers (Luke Halls Studio), and has delivered projects across the UK, Europe (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Italy), North America, the Middle East (UAE, Jordan), Africa (Morocco), and Asia (India, China, Japan).
Studio ZNA markets its services primarily through its portfolio, earned media coverage in The Guardian, Financial Times, Vogue and The Standard, industry awards (LIT, IES, London Design, Dezeen, RIBA), and thought-leadership content authored by Zerlina Hughes. New business is generated via direct enterprise relationships, reputation, and referrals from architectural and exhibition-design collaborators. The firm has won Architectural Lighting Design of the Year at LIT 2024 (Gabrielle Chanel), two categories at LIT 2025 (Yves Saint Laurent and Marie Antoinette Style), and contributed to projects honoured by the RIBA Stirling Prize shortlist (Courtauld, 2023) and Art Fund Museum of the Year (Young V&A, 2024).
Studio ZNA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Studio ZNA
- Legal name
- Studio ZNA
- Website
- https://studiozna.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Studio ZNA is a London-based creative lighting design practice founded in 2006, serving museums, galleries, luxury retailers, and cultural institutions with conservation-grade, technology-driven lighting design across temporary exhibitions, permanent galleries, retail, architecture, and live performance projects worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Studio ZNA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Lighting Design Services
- NAICS
- Interior Design Services (541410)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sustainable/Green Building & LEED Consulting (BPAHAKAG)
Keywords
Where Studio ZNA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Studio ZNA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Professional Lighting Design Services: Studio ZNA provides professional lighting design services for museums, galleries, exhibitions, retail spaces, and cultural institutions. Projects are commissioned engagements involving concept development, design, technical specification, and on-site commissioning. Revenue is generated through project fees for design services.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Studio ZNA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Studio ZNA is a professional creative lighting design practice that delivers commissioned lighting design services for museums, galleries, exhibitions, luxury retail spaces, architecture, and live performance venues. Engagements cover concept development, technical specification, and on-site commissioning, applying conservation-grade lighting expertise alongside narrative-driven design using LED, DMX, Bluetooth, daylight-sensor, and fiber-optic technologies.
Product overview
Studio ZNA is a London-based creative lighting design practice offering specialist services across six core areas: temporary exhibition lighting, permanent gallery lighting, retail lighting, architecture lighting, live art and theatre lighting, and painting exhibition lighting. The practice works primarily with museums, galleries, luxury retail brands, and cultural institutions, creating atmospheric lighting designs that enhance the visitor experience while respecting conservation requirements for sensitive artworks and objects.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Temporary Exhibition Lighting Design Lighting design services for temporary museum and gallery exhibitions, working with curators, architects, and designers to create atmospheric lighting for fashion, art, and cultural exhibitions.
- Permanent Gallery Lighting Design Lighting design for permanent museum and gallery installations, including permanent collection displays and museum refurbishments such as Young V&A and the National Gallery rehang.
- Retail Lighting Design High-end retail lighting design services for luxury brands, flagship stores, and museum shops, creating sophisticated lighting environments that enhance product display and customer experience.
- Architecture Lighting Design Lighting design for commercial, residential, and public-realm architecture projects, including visitor experience entrances, workspace environments, and heritage buildings.
- Live Art and Theatre Lighting Design Lighting design for live performances, opera, theatre productions, and festival installations, working with choreographers, directors, and performers.
- Painting Exhibition Lighting Design Specialized lighting design for painting exhibitions in galleries and museums, focusing on optimal viewing conditions for artworks while maintaining conservation requirements.
Quantifiable outcome
- NHM gift shop sales increased by 5000% following refurbishment lighting redesign
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Studio ZNA
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Studio ZNA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Studio ZNA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Nebbia (Exhibition Design)coreStudio ZNA collaborated with exhibition designers Nebbia on the Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art exhibition at V&A South Kensington. Nebbia provided exhibition design while Studio ZNA delivered the lighting design, creating a sensory journey into Schiaparelli's world.
- OMMX (Exhibition Design)coreStudio ZNA collaborated with OMMX on Marie Antoinette Style exhibition at V&A South Kensington. Together they shaped a showstopping experience across seven rooms with varied lighting techniques evoking unique atmospheres.
- Asif Khan Studio (Exhibition Design)coreStudio ZNA worked with Asif Khan Studio and curators Rachel Garrahan and Helen Molesworth on the Cartier exhibition at V&A. Studio ZNA crafted ethereal lighting experience that elevated the presentation of Cartier's iconic jewellery alongside Khan's exhibition design.
- National Gallery (Client)coreStudio ZNA has an ongoing relationship with the National Gallery, having delivered lighting for major exhibitions including Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers, the NG200 redisplay, Devotion by Design, and Beyond Caravaggio since 2010.
- Storey Studio (Exhibition Design)coreStudio ZNA worked with Storey Studio on the Gabrielle Chanel: Fashion Manifesto exhibition at V&A. Storey Studio provided exhibition design while Studio ZNA delivered lighting design that created subtle shifting lighting qualities throughout the exhibition.
- Luke Halls Studio (AV Design)coreStudio ZNA collaborated with Luke Halls Studio on AV software production for Gabrielle Chanel exhibition. Luke Halls provides AV design including sound design through Coda to Coda, with Studio ZNA synchronising lighting with AV sequences.
- JA Projects (Exhibition Design)coreStudio ZNA has worked with JA Projects on multiple exhibitions including Fashioning Masculinities at V&A, The Time is Always Now at NPG, and Fragile Beauty at V&A. JA Projects leads spatial design while Studio ZNA delivers lighting.
- V&A Design StudiocoreStudio ZNA worked with V&A Design Studio on Donatello: Sculpting the Renaissance exhibition. Sam Brown of V&A Design Studio led exhibition design with graphic design by Martin McGrath.
- Storey Studio (Exhibition Design)coreStudio ZNA worked with Storey Studio on Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk exhibition at V&A. The exhibition journeyed through a colour palette from calming matcha greens to vibrant reds and pinks, with atmospheric lighting and abstract soundscapes.
- Nissen Richards Studio (Architecture)coreStudio ZNA has collaborated with Nissen Richards Studio on multiple projects including Bletchley Park Hut 11A exhibition, Hajj exhibition, and Playing Pieces at Munch and Kode Museums. Nissen Richards Studio leads architectural and exhibition design.
- Casson Mann (Exhibition Design)coreStudio ZNA worked with Casson Mann on Ocean Liners: Speed and Style exhibition at V&A. Studio ZNA created lighting to enhance sense of scale and depth using linear lighting with designers' use of mirrors.
- Ab Rogers Design (Architecture)coreStudio ZNA has collaborated with Ab Rogers Design on multiple projects including the Assos Flagship Store, creating high-end, flexible lighting systems aligned with minimalist, high-tech aesthetic requirements.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Studio ZNA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Speirs + Major: Speirs + Major is a leading UK-based architectural lighting design practice comparable to Studio ZNA in scale, specialization, and client base. Both firms serve museums, galleries, and high-end cultural and retail projects with creative lighting design.
- dpa lighting consultants: dpa is a UK-based architectural lighting design practice serving museums, galleries, and cultural institutions. Comparable in size, geography, and core focus on exhibition and architectural lighting design.
- Available Light: Available Light is a US-based lighting design firm specializing in museum, exhibition, and architectural projects. Comparable in niche museum focus, project-based professional services model, and international clientele.
- Tillotson Design Associates: Tillotson Design Associates is a US-based architectural lighting design firm with a strong museum and gallery portfolio. Comparable to Studio ZNA in project type, client prestige, and creative-led design ethos.
- Bartenbach: Bartenbach is an Austrian lighting design and research firm specializing in daylighting, museum, and architectural lighting — closely comparable to Studio ZNA in technical sophistication, museum specialization, and research-led approach.
- Licht Kunst Licht: Licht Kunst Licht is a German-based lighting design consultancy with deep museum and cultural-sector work across Europe. Comparable to Studio ZNA in specialization on gallery and exhibition lighting for major institutions.
- James Carpenter Design Associates: James Carpenter Design Associates is a New York-based lighting design and consultancy firm known for high-profile museum and architectural work. Comparable to Studio ZNA in artistic approach and elite cultural client base.
Broad incumbents
- Arup Lighting: Arup's global Lighting practice is a much larger multidisciplinary consultancy offering lighting design as part of broader engineering services. Comparable in that it serves the same cultural and architectural clients, but operates at a vastly different scale with bundled project delivery.
Emerging players
- Lighting Design Collective: Lighting Design Collective is a smaller, specialist practice with overlap in museum, gallery, and experiential lighting work. Comparable as a niche competitor though smaller in scale and brand recognition than Studio ZNA.
Regional players
- Cassiopeia Lighting Studio: Cassiopeia is a German-based specialist lighting design studio focused on museum and cultural-sector projects. Comparable in technical specialization but serves a primarily European/German clientele rather than the UK cultural sector.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Studio ZNA social profiles
Digital presenceStudio ZNA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Studio ZNA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Studio ZNA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Studio ZNA M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Studio ZNA
What does Studio ZNA do?
Studio ZNA is a professional creative lighting design practice that delivers commissioned lighting design services for museums, galleries, exhibitions, luxury retail spaces, architecture, and live performance venues. Engagements cover concept development, technical specification, and on-site commissioning, applying conservation-grade lighting expertise alongside narrative-driven design using LED, DMX, Bluetooth, daylight-sensor, and fiber-optic technologies.
Is Studio ZNA a public or private company?
Studio ZNA is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Studio ZNA founded?
Studio ZNA was founded in 2006. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Studio ZNA based?
Studio ZNA is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Studio ZNA make money?
One revenue line is on record: professional Lighting Design Services.
Who are Studio ZNA's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Speirs + Major, dpa lighting consultants, Available Light, Tillotson Design Associates, Bartenbach, Licht Kunst Licht and James Carpenter Design Associates. Arup Lighting is listed as a broad incumbent. Lighting Design Collective is listed as an emerging player. Cassiopeia Lighting Studio is listed as a regional player.
Does Studio ZNA have an API?
No public API is recorded for Studio ZNA.
What industry is Studio ZNA in?
Studio ZNA's product category is Lighting Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAG, Sustainable/Green Building & LEED Consulting. Its NAICS code is 541410.