George Sexton

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George S. Sexton, III is an American designer, specializing in the areas of lighting design,[1] museum design and museum planning services.

Life[edit]

Sexton studied at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University from 1966, where he received his Bachelor of Architecture Degree in 1971. Upon graduation, Sexton began his work in architectural lighting design through his employment at Claude Engle, Lighting Consultant in Washington, DC. He continued his work in the field of lighting design by taking a position at the National Gallery of Art both designing and lighting exhibits. This early professional experience working in DC museums coupled with his modernist training as an architect have been the foundations of his approach to lighting and museum design. Further shaping experiences include working as Acting Keeper of the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts in Norwich, England, as well as the Head of the Design and Installation Department for the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco at both the M.H. de Young Memorial Museum and the California Palace of the Legion of Honor.

In 1980, Sexton opened his own lighting and museum design firm, George Sexton Associates, based in Washington, DC, with satellite offices in Norwich, England and New York City.[2][3]

Connection to Claude Engle[edit]

Trained in architecture at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, George Sexton found himself - after graduation, amid a recession in the early 1970s — seeking employment beyond architecture firms and found a position with lighting designer Claude Engle. Assigned to the east wing extension for the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., which Engle was working on at the time, was what set Sexton on a course of museum work that has been the cornerstone of his professional lighting career.[4]

Lighting philosophy[edit]

As referenced in an interview of George Sexton, "Design-wise, it's about listening to the client. In terms of lighting, we are of the school that you shouldn't notice our work; it should be transparent. ... Daylight is very important to the visitor's experience. Architects and lighting designers have a great comfort level in working with daylight. It is something that can be managed in a way that is consistent with museums, but when making that choice, there is a cost of controlling daylight that needs to be considered. ... Regarding technology impacting museum lighting, there's a whole area of lighting controls, particularly as they relate to conservation and energy issues. Interactive media as well. We need to be clever as designers and consider these other sources (i.e., the whole range of media generated light) as part of the lighting solution." [4]

Projects of note[edit]

Sexton has provided design services for an array of international and domestic clients, including the following:

Museums and galleries

Public & Civic

Offices and mixed use
Commercial
  • Shore Club, Miami Beach
  • Bryant Park Hotel, New York City
  • The Modern, Museum of Modern Art, New York
  • tangysweet, Washington DC
  • The Hamilton, Washington DC
Retail
Residential
  • Private residences worldwide
  • Oyster House, Honest Point (Northern Neck) Virginia
Worship

Awards[edit]

French Pavilion, International Expo 2010, Shanghai China

  • IIDA Section Guth Illumination Design Award, 2011

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Boston Massachusetts

  • IIDA Section Guth Illumination Design Award, 2011

22 Bateman's Row, London UK

  • RIBA London Building of the Year, 2010

1100 First Street NE, Washington DC

  • A|L Light & Architecture Commendable Achievement in Interior Lighting, 2010
  • E Edison Award of Excellence, 2009

Goucher College Athenaeum, Towson Maryland

  • GE Edison Award of Merit, 2009

Lumen United Reformed Church, London UK

  • IIDA Section Guth Illumination Design Award, 2009[5]
  • A|L Light & Architecture Commendable Achievement in Architectural Lighting, 2009[6]

Star-Spangled Banner Exhibit, National Museum of American History, Washington DC[7]

  • IIDA Section Guth Illumination Design Award, 2009[8]
  • A|L Light & Architecture Special Citation for Achievement in Exhibition Lighting, 2009[9]

Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC[10]

  • IIDA Guth Illumination Design Award, 2008

National Association of Realtors Headquarters, Washington DC

  • U.S. Green Building Council LEED Award, Silver Rating, 2005
  • Citation for Sustainable Design Award – Committee on the Environment Boston Society of Architects/AIA and Committee on the Environment of the AIA New York Chapter (in collaboration with Gund Partnership), 2004

Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington DC

  • International Illumination Design Awards – Waterbury Capital Section Award, 2005

Louis Vuitton, Roppongi Hills, Japan

  • GE Edison Award of Merit, 2004][11]

Cleveland Museum of Art Building Restoration, Cleveland Ohio

  • Cleveland Restoration Society and Preservation Resource Center of Northeastern Ohio - Technical Achievement in Preservation Award (in collaboration with Vitetta), 2003[12]

Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Fort Worth Texas

  • IIDA Edwin F. Guth Memorial Award of Excellence, 2003
  • IALD International Association of Lighting Designers Award of Merit, 2003[13]
  • IIDA Edwin F. Guth Memorial Award of Excellence for Interior Lighting Design, 2003[14]
  • IIDA Capitol Section Illumination Design Award, 2003
  • IIDA Capitol Section Illumination Design Award of Merit – International Level, 2003

Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee Wisconsin

  • IIDA Paul Waterbury Award of Excellence for Outdoor Lighting Design[15]
  • GE Edison Award of Excellence, 2002[16]
  • IIDA Capitol Section Illumination Design Award, 2002

Herz Jesu Kirche (Heart of Jesus Church), Munich Germany

  • IIDA Edwin F. Guth Memorial Award of Excellence for Interior Lighting Design, 2002[17]
  • IIDA Capitol Section Illumination Design Award, 2002
  • IALD International Association of Lighting Designers Award of Merit, 2001[18]
  • GE Edison Award of Excellence, 2000[19]

Denver Art Museum, Denver Colorado

  • IESNA International Illumination Design Award of Merit, 1999

Henry Francis DuPont Winterthur Museum—McIntire Room, Wilmington Delaware

  • IESNA Capital Section Illumination Design Award, 1998

References[edit]

  1. ^ Lighting designers: George Sexton.
  2. ^ George Sexton Associates.
  3. ^ "George Sexton Associates". ArchitypeSource. Archived from the original on September 1, 2011. Retrieved September 18, 2011.
  4. ^ a b http://www.archlighting.com/industry/one-on-one/one-on-one-with-george-sexton_o
  5. ^ http://www.iesna.org/PDF/Awards/ia/2009%20Recipients.pdf#page=7 Archived 2012-02-19 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ "Commendable Achievement, Interior Lighting - Lumen United Reformed Church and Community Center - Awards, Leds, Lighting, Religious Projects, Community Projects, Lighting Design - Architectural Lighting Magazine". Archlighting.com. 2009-07-30. Archived from the original on 2012-02-25. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  7. ^ "NMAH | A New Home for the Star-Spangled Banner". americanhistory.si.edu. Archived from the original on July 27, 2009.
  8. ^ www.iesna.org https://web.archive.org/web/20120219111313/http://www.iesna.org/PDF/Awards/ia/2009%20Recipients.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-02-19. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  9. ^ "Special Citation for Achievement in Exhibition Lighting - Star Spangled Banner Exhibit - Awards - Architectural Lighting Magazine". Archlighting.com. 2009-07-30. Archived from the original on 2012-02-25. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  10. ^ "The National Portrait Gallery/Museum Information/Kogod Courtyard". Npg.si.edu. 2008-03-25. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  11. ^ "GE Award of Merit Winner - Louis Vuitton - Roppongi". Gelighting.com. Archived from the original on 2012-02-06. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  12. ^ . September 28, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070928005023/http://www.clevelandrestoration.org/PreservationAwards/preservationawardhistory.pdf#page=8. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2007. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  13. ^ "International Association of Lighting Designers - IALD". September 27, 2007. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007.
  14. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). www.iesna.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 14 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). www.iesna.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 14 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  16. ^ "GE Award of Excellence Winner - Brise Soleil Lighting at Calatrava's Milwaukee Art Museum Addition". September 27, 2007. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007.
  17. ^ . September 27, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070927180718/http://www.iesna.org/PDF/Archives/2002_08.pdf#page=35. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 27, 2007. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  18. ^ "International Association of Lighting Designers - IALD". September 27, 2007. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007.
  19. ^ "GE Award of Excellence Winner - Herz Jesu Kirche (Heart of Jesus Church)". September 27, 2007. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007.

External links[edit]

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