Vespr Designs is an architectural lighting design studio based in San Antonio, with projects across Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Oklahoma and New York. We light civic, cultural, hospitality, sports and mixed-use buildings, from the first concept through construction. Vesper is the hour the sun sets, when light and shadow sit in balance. That balance is the whole job: the right amount of light, in the right place, so the architecture reads the way it was drawn.
Principals lead every project themselves, without layers of staff between the design team and the people drawing the light. Documents turn around fast, and the work stays in service of the architect's intent, not ours.
WHAT WE DO
Lighting strategy, precedent and mood, set early with the design team.
Layouts, details, fixture schedules and specifications, drawn to be built.
Calculations, egress and code compliance, COMcheck and LEED documentation.
Scenes, dimming and daylight response, integrated with the electrical design.
Custom fixtures and design criteria where a catalog product won't do.
Submittal review, mock-ups, site observation and final aiming.
PEOPLE
BEN MATHEWSPartner, Principal-in-ChargeTwenty years in commercial lighting. Ben leads client relationships and contracts on every Vespr project, and stays on each one from the first meeting through completion.
- Experience
- 20+ years in commercial lighting
- Education
- B.S., Economics and History, Skidmore College
JORDANA MATHEWSManaging MemberJordana runs the business side of the firm. Before joining the lighting industry in 2017 she was Director of Economic and Community Development for Bexar County, where she led economic growth and community development projects.
PEI CHUN YANGDesign PrincipalPei leads design from concept through construction documents, including custom luminaire design and design criteria. Her work spans cultural, commercial, institutional and transportation projects, aligning light with architectural intent for clarity, performance and long-term durability. Before Vespr she held senior design roles at Buro Happold, Brandston Partnership and HLB Lighting Design.
- Experience
- 19 years
- Education
- M.F.A., Architectural Lighting Design, Parsons School of Design
B.Arch., Tunghai University - Recognition
- 40 Under 40, 2020
IESNYC Lumen Award of Citation
IES Illumination Awards of Merit
IALD Award of Merit - Earlier work
- Grace Farms (SANAA) and Stella Tower at Buro Happold
Mumbai International Airport (SOM) and Hang Lung Forum 66 (KPF) at Brandston Partnership
Penn Station Access (HNTB) at HLB Lighting Design
CHRIS COULTERAssociate Principal, Project LeadChris is the technical lead: documentation, photometric analysis, controls integration, energy code and LEED documentation, and construction administration including site observation and mock-up review. He has led internationally recognized stadium, cultural, civic and higher-education projects for more than two decades, with particular depth in venue lighting, daylight analysis, controls and post-occupancy performance.
- Experience
- 24 years
- Education
- B.S., Architectural Engineering, Illumination Systems, University of Kansas
- Recognition
- IESNYC Lumen Awards of Excellence
UK Lighting Design Awards
Light Middle East Awards
DLFNY Beacon Award - Earlier work
- Louvre Abu Dhabi (Ateliers Jean Nouvel), Mercedes-Benz Stadium (HOK), Museum of the Future and Terra, The Sustainability Pavilion at Buro Happold
Ford Field at SmithGroup
OWEN BORUSIEWICZDesignerOwen works on design and documentation under Pei. Four years of architectural lighting design across transportation, hospitality, education, bridges and cultural spaces, with an architectural-engineering background: technical precision with an artistic eye.
- Experience
- 4 years
- Education
- B.S., Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder
- Previous firm
- HLB Lighting Design
KARRIE MATHISComptrollerKarrie runs accounting. She brings more than 32 years in financial management and operations, including roles as Vice President of Administration for CASO and Senior Tax Accountant at AT&T.
Vespr Designs is a woman-owned business.