Kenneth Namkung is a designer and strategist with two decades of professional experience. He holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Virginia and a Master of Architecture from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
He started his career with Rafael Viñoly Architects, where he was a core team member for the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center and the Helen Diller Family Cancer Research Building. In addition, he was involved in marketing efforts and design competitions for institutional clients including: Harvard University, Cambridge University, Cornell University, and MGM. After this formative experience he joined Santiago Calatrava New York, where he helped design and realize the World Trade Center Transportation Hub (also known as the Oculus). He was also deeply involved in operations management for the office, helping manage documentation and presentation standards, internal workflows, information technology, and office infrastructure.
Mr. Namkung spent many years at Studio Link-Arc, a New York and Shanghai-based design office where he helped realize the China Pavilion for Expo Milano 2015. He was deeply involved in the project’s technical design and coordination, working closely with multiple parties to ensure that design objectives were met. After its successful completion, he helped produce xPositions: Pavilion Dialogues, a book documenting the project’s design and construction. He was significantly involved in many of Link-Arc’s key projects including: the Luhu Cultural Center, the Shanghai Museum, the Cuizhu Foreign Language School, and the Nanjing Art Center. In addition to design and technical coordination he managed many aspects of the office including: operations management, human resources, information technology, and office infrastructure, significantly expanding its professional capacity.
He has taught design studios at the Boston Architectural Center and has participated in design reviews at the Wentworth Institute of Technology, Syracuse University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He served as the Kossman Thesis Juror at Penn State University.
Mr. Namkung served as Vice President for Educational and Cultural Programs for the MIT Club of New York for many years and held multiple roles with the MIT Architecture Alumni Affinity Group (MITArchA), where he expanded the organization’s global reach via a multi-pronged communications strategy.
Learn more at https://archinect.com/kennethn... and at https://monument-office.org
Monument Office, New York, Architectural Designer
Monument Office is the online imprint of Kenneth Namkung, an architectural designer based in New York City. Monument Office currently operates at the intersection between architecture, design, and public space.
Projects completed under this banner include: Italian Military Museum, Torino Precinct, Xi'an Civic Plaza, and the Buenos Aires Art Museum. More to come.
Learn more at monument-office.org.
Wake Design + Development, New York, NY, US, Architectural Professional
Involved in multiple residential and hospitality projects including: a townhouse renovation in Harlem, a residential renovation on the Upper East Side, two restaurant build-outs, and a residential addition in Maine.
Worked with design team to: coordinate internal work efforts, comprehensively describe design intent, and coordinate specifications. Involved in DOB submissions, early-stage bid leveling, and construction administration.
Involved in design efforts for multiple projects with the design team.
Perkins Eastman, New York, NY, US, Senior Associate
Conducted site surveys and feasibility studies for a renovation of the New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital Mother-Baby unit, with a focus on ADA and FGI guidelines within significant existing constraints.
Construction administration, submittals, and detailing for the Women’s Center at the Center for Community Health at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital.
Early-stage design studies for an extension to Northwell Health / Long Island Jewish Forest Hills Hospital in Queens, New York.
NBBJ, New York, Associate | Senior Project Designer
Led design and documentation of podium public spaces for the Massachusetts General Hospital Cambridge Street Project, from Design Development to 100% Construction Documents in coordination with studio design and technical leaders.
Coordinated with relevant consultants (primarily MEP and lighting) and oversaw drawing production. Mentored junior staff members as part of the construction documentation process.
Oversaw the design progress for podium public spaces with studio design leaders and junior design staff. Rationalized geometries and simplified material expressions to clarify spatial intent. Oversaw extensive device layout studies and conducted weekly reviews with studio design leaders.
Studio Link-Arc, LLC, New York, NY, US, Senior Associate
Managed general office operations and organization. Onboarded new staff, managed employment visas (around seventy), oversaw IT operations and CAD/documentation standards, and organized all office-specific information (digital and physical). Provided technical advice, mentorship and general support to younger staff members
Extensively involved in the design and realization of the China Pavilion for Expo Milano 2015. Managed design submissions to the Expo Authority, led complex structural coordination efforts, and produced construction documents and details for many parts of the Pavilion.
Concept design, schematic design, and highly resolved design development for Nanjing Gallery, a technically complex cultural project. Conducted extensive structural and geometric coordination.
Technical and design management for many important built projects including: the CRLand DaChong School, the Changjiang Cultural Center, and the Luhu Cultural Center. Extensive participation in many design proposals and competitions including: Shanghai Museum East Pavilion, 673 Fifth Avenue, and Shanghai Future Park.
Deeply involved in office marketing. Produced brochures, coordinated with publishers, and submitted awards proposals. Responsible for over fifteen successful awards submissions. Coordinated xPositions : Pavilion Dialogues, a monograph focused on the design and construction of the China Pavilion for Expo Milano 2015.
Ennead, New York, NY, US, Architectural Professional
Involved in technical detailing and production for many large institutional projects including: NYU Langone Kimmel Pavilion, NYU Langone New Science Building, the Education Center at the Wall, and York College.
Extensive involvement with the NYU Langone Kimmel Pavilion with a particular emphasis on highly resolved interior details.
Participated in early-stage design studies for NYU Langone New Science Building, and produced many design options for the building’s public podium.
Santiago Calatrava, New York, NY, US, Architectural Professional
Participated in the design and the documentation of the World Trade Center Transportation Hub. Worked closely with Santiago Calatrava and senior leadership to ensure design ideas were translated into drawings and disseminated to consultants. Coordinated plans between multiple offices, managed document submissions, and produced client/stakeholder presentations in Powerpoint and Illustrator. Created interior finish details and participated in structural and geometry coordination.
Core team member for the Yuan Ze University Arts and Memorial Complex. Prepared multiple concept design schemes, produced presentation and design development drawings for a 50,000 sm academic/performing arts complex. Focused on the design and documentation of the Memorial Building in later stages of design development. Managed the production and submission of eight separate design submissions.
Involved in operations management. Managed CAD and presentation standards, as well as software deployment in collaboration with IT consultants. Clarified office production workflows for documentation and presentations to promote efficiency in production. Initiated and completed overhaul of internal reprographics system.
Rafael Viñoly Architects, New York, NY, US, Architectural Professional
Participated in over twenty competitions and proposals for clients including: Harvard University, University of Oxford, Javits Convention Center, Cornell University, and firstsite:newsite Colchester. Worked closely with Rafael Viñoly and project directors on all aspects including: design concepts, client research, proposal and presentation strategy, presentation and RFP production, and managed production efforts with small design teams. These efforts resulted in three commissions for the office: a feasibility study for Cornell University, an art museum in Colchester, UK, and the 121st Police Precinct Station House in Staten Island.
Design team member for the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Involved in: construction documents, construction administration, interior detailing and furniture design for meeting rooms, prefunction concourses, and food service spaces.
Exterior design and detailing for the UCSF Helen Diller Cancer Research Building. Produced construction documents, coordinated structure, and created details for the building’s exterior stone cladding.
Boston Architectural College, Boston, MA, US, Studio Instructor
Conducted three design studios. The final studio, Fast Food Nation, explored the American suburb through the design of a fast food retail prototype. Students developed unique site strategies and operational models based on individual responses to the subject.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, US, MArch, Architecture
xPositions: Pavilion Dialogues, Other
Coordinated and managed design, production, and editorial work for a monograph focused on the China Pavilion for Expo Milano 2015 in collaboration with Original Copy, MGMT design, and ACTAR.
Finalist, Italian Military Museum Competition, Other
Trajectories of Peace, a proposal for a museum in an abandoned military installation on an island off the coast of Italy, awarded in concept design competition.
Kossman Thesis Juror, Pennsylvania State University, Other
Served as juror for final B.Arch thesis reviews at Pennsylvania State University during a three-day period for the end of the 2016-2017 academic year. With two other jurors and faculty, helped select the 2017 Kossman Prize winner.
306090 Volume 06: Shifting Infrastructures, Other
Activeshelter published in journal of new design.
BSA Unbuilt Architecture Exhibit, Other
Airspace exhibited at Boston Society of Architects
Architecture@MIT, Other
Initiated and organized exhibition of student work at MIT. Level III graduate studio project included in exhibition.
Participant, Tsinghua/MIT Urban Design Workshop, Other
Louis Rosenburg Traveling Fellowship, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Other
Harbor Tickets Competition, 3rd Place
Modulus 25: Industrial Intersections, Other
Production editor for academic journal. Responsible for design, layout and printing; wrote grant proposal for funding.
