Kaoru Mende was born in Tokyo in 1950, studied both industrial design and environmental design, received his M.A. degree from Tokyo University of Art, and chose lighting design as his career.
He set up Lighting Planners Associates Inc. and is currently active as a producer and a planner of lighting design in a broader scope from housing to environmental lighting.
Awards he has received including the IES(Illuminating Engineering Society)
International Lighting Design Award of 1989 Award of Distinction for "Chapel on the Water", and many Awards of Excellence, '97 IALD (International Association for Lighting Designers) Award of Excellence for "Tokyo International Forum", '96 Japan Culture Award and '97 Mainichi Design Award.