Julia Nelson is a Partner at BKSK Architects, a New York City-based firm, and she's riding pretty high there these days. After ten years working for BKSK, she's been recently promoted from Associate to Partner. Julia also has the distinction of being the firm's Project Architect on the Queens Botanical Garden Visitor Center, which was named one of the American Institute of Architects' (AIA) Top Ten Green Projects for 2008. The project consisted of three separate structures: a reception and administration building, a “dramatic roof canopy” for portions of the garden, and an auditorium complete with green roof built in to the landscape. Solar panels, a stormwater management system and a geothermal system were among its sustainable features, and recycled materials were used in portions of the construction. In addition to its honors from the AIA, the Queens Botanical Garden Visitor Center also earned a LEED Platinum rating from the U.S. Green Building Council, making it the very first building in New York City to achieve that rating. Among Julia's other notable work at BKSK, she was also Project Architect on the Tribute WTC 9/11 Center, a gallery space for reflection and community that was the very first space opened to visitors in the Ground Zero area. Outside of the general awesomeness of her efforts at BKSK, Julia also works occasionally as a sustainability consultant, and gives lectures on sustainable design, construction and water management issues.
Julia Nelson is a Partner at BKSK Architects, a New York City-based firm, and she's riding pretty high there these days. After ten years working for BKSK, she's been recently promoted from Associate to Partner. Julia also has the distinction of being the firm's Project Architect on the Queens Botanical Garden Visitor Center, which was named one of the American Institute of Architects' (AIA) Top Ten Green Projects for 2008. The project consisted of three separate structures: a reception and administration building, a “dramatic roof canopy” for portions of the garden, and an auditorium complete with green roof built in to the landscape. Solar panels, a stormwater management system and a geothermal system were among its sustainable features, and recycled materials were used in portions of the construction. In addition to its honors from the AIA, the Queens Botanical Garden Visitor Center also earned a LEED Platinum rating from the U.S. Green Building Council, making it the very first building in New York City to achieve that rating. Among Julia's other notable work at BKSK, she was also Project Architect on the Tribute WTC 9/11 Center, a gallery space for reflection and community that was the very first space opened to visitors in the Ground Zero area. Outside of the general awesomeness of her efforts at BKSK, Julia also works occasionally as a sustainability consultant, and gives lectures on sustainable design, construction and water management issues.