Afreen Anjum Khan Explores Architecture and Memory Through Light

Light can change the way we perceive a building, guide us through it, and reveal the history of a space. This relationship among lighting, architecture, and human experience is central to the work of Afreen Anjum Khan, a New York–based architectural lighting designer, a licensed architect in India, and an urban design professional.

Afreen is part of Brian Orter Lighting Design, where she contributes to projects across different stages of the design process, from early concepts through technical development and coordination. Her role combines lighting concepts and fixture strategies with calculations, visualizations, BIM coordination, and detailed drawings, working alongside architects, interior designers, landscape architects, consultants, and contractors.

Her experience spans hospitality, residential, commercial, mixed-use, and cultural projects. These include The View at the New York Marriott Marquis, 175 Third Street, The Corner Store, The Brook, and Remy’s Loose. Her projects have also brought her into collaboration with teams from firms such as COOKFOX Architects, Bjarke Ingels Group, Rockwell Group, and Beyer Blinder Belle.

Afreen’s work also includes projects involving historic architecture. At the Terminal Warehouse project, she contributed as part of the lighting design team. The project was recognized with the 2026 Lucy G. Moses Preservation Project Award from The New York Landmarks Conservancy.

Before moving into her current practice, Afreen worked in conservation in India with Abha Narain Lambah Associates. Her experience there included contributions to projects related to Bandra Railway Station, Haji Ali Dargah, and the Gateway of India, while also helping prepare the UNESCO nomination dossier for the Mughal Gardens of Kashmir. She later earned a Master of Science in Urban Design from Pratt Institute, where she received the Excellence in Academic Achievement Award.

As a member of the American Institute of Architects, she also participates in the AIA Brooklyn Mentorship Program 2026–2027 and is part of the 2026 Women in Lighting Design cohort. She will also serve on the Asian Lighting Community committee for its Diwali celebration.

Across these different facets of her practice, light remains a way to connect people with the architecture, history, and character of the spaces they inhabit.