Principal
Information
Graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design with degrees in Architecture and Fine Arts, he started his career in lighting and museum planning with George Sexton Associates, where he worked on projects including The National Archives (DC), The Baltimore Art Museum, The Denver Art Museum, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Museum of Modern Art (NY), The Whitney Museum (NY), The Cooper Hewitt (NY), The Winterthur Museum (DE) and The Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts (UK). These roles involved architectural planning, comprehensive lighting systems, and art conservation employing advanced lighting techniques.
As an Associate at Ann Kale Associates from 1997-2002, Jenkins had responsibilities in project management, design, detailing, and coordination. Their clients and architectural collaborations included The New Bronx Criminal Court with Rafael Vinoly Architects, Communication Arts Complex at The University of St. Louis with Pei Cobb Freed Associates, The High School of Law Enforcement and Public Safety with Polshek Partnership, Hudson River Park Redevelopment (Segments 6 & 7) with Richard Dattner Associates, and The Long Island Childrens Museum with Gran Sultan Associates.
In 2002, Jenkins joined the design team of Thompson and Sears Lighting, working on the new U.S. Courthouse in Buffalo with architects Kohn Pedersen Fox, The Washington Heights Library with Richard Dattner and Partners, The Metropolitan Club and The Masterworks Museum in Bermuda with Acheson Doyle Partners. Simultaneously their construction projects included The Ford Design Center at Northwestern University with Davis Brody Bond and The United Federation of Teachers National Headquarters with Gensler Architecture. When Thompson and Sears merged with the Brandston Partnership, Jenkins performed as an associate there.
In 2005 Jenkins launched himself as an independent practitioner, founding LumenArch as a comprehensive lighting design consultancy.
Beyond project related activities, Jenkins currently teaches at Parsons New School for a unique graduate course focusing on lighting technologies with a conjoined design studio addressing the integration of electric light and daylight; he has also taught design and lighting at Pratt Institute, and at The New York School of Interior Design (NYSID), The Parsons School of Design, The New York School of Visual Arts (SVA), and The New York City College University (CUNY). For the profession, he regularly conducts design workshops sanctioned by the AIA for continuing education and was invited to make presentations at Lightfair International. Along the way, he has served as a judge for the International Illumination Design Awards (IIDA) both locally and regionally. He has lectured on his involvement in restaurant lighting; one of which received local, national and international awards for design excellence from the Illuminating Engineering Society North America (IESNA) and International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD). From 2002, as a member of the Designers/Lighting Forum he continues to be elected by the membership to serve on its Board of Directors and is currently serving as elected Vice President. Nelson Jenkins is an active member of the Illuminating Engineering Society.
Email: nelson@lumenarch.com
Phone: (212) 564-6469, Ext. #1
Independent Contractors
Alejandro Bulaevsky