Iolanda Fortunato studied Architecture at Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, graduating in 2002.

In 2004, she founded the first Master of Science in Lighting Design in Italy. After graduation, she spent two years in Rome collaborating with leading lighting design studios, including Annunziata & Terzi and Fabertechnica.

That same year, Iolanda moved to London and joined a prestigious architectural practice specialising in luxury residential design, contributing to two ultra-luxury private estates in Russia and the Caribbean.

In 2005, she joined Greig & Stephenson Architects, where she worked with major developers such as ING, institutional property funds, and private clients. Her projects included high-end residential and mixed-use developments, notably a collection of eight luxury penthouses at London Bridge.

In 2008, Iolanda joined Foster + Partners, where she was promoted to Associate in 2012. She led the architectural design coordination for the residential buildings of the Masdar Institute, part of the pioneering Masdar City Masterplan—the world’s first planned zero-waste, zero-carbon city.

She later worked on the Maljevik Bay Resort in Montenegro, overseeing the design of 25 two-storey villas. She also coordinated the Perth Racecourse Development masterplan in Australia and led the detailed design for the Hongqiao Vantone SunnyWorld Centre in Shanghai, a mixed-use complex including offices, exhibition areas, and commercial space.

From 2011 to 2013, Iolanda worked on the Sheikh Zayed National Museum in Abu Dhabi, where she was responsible for the coordination of all interior design.

In 2014, she founded her own practice, Iolanda Fortunato Design Studio.

She has since collaborated with renowned luxury interior design firm Kelly Hoppen Interiors and is a regular columnist for Luce & Design, a leading magazine in the field of lighting design.