Lighting Team - Glumac

Ferdinand McAvoy

Christine Culver

Lighting Studio Director

What's your favorite time of day?

I love the sky at night. I love the stillness, the peacefulness, the nighttime noises from all the critters around my house. Landscape lighting is my absolute favorite because I love the softness and the variation of it. I love that I can make the lighting look different depending on where you are standing because the light is low level and small in scale so it’s blocked differently depending on your angle. I love the light given off by the moon and the patterns of the stars and I like that it changes throughout the year and is unique to your location.

What's your favorite Glumac project?

I worked on the design of a Montage resort at SilverRock in La Quinta, CA. The owner, the architect and the interior designer were all a joy to work with. It was the type of project where everyone involved was passionate, excited, ambitious and really wanted to see it become something beautiful. The wellness, comfort and livelihood of the future occupants was a huge priority and the opportunities for exciting lighting design were endless. We focused a lot of the nature of place in a remote location in the desert where the dark sky, the stars, the rock formations and the wildlife took center stage and created buildings and lighting schemes that weaved into the natural landscapes – all while adding in some excitement, luxury and beauty!

What inspires you?

I’m primarily inspired by the hard work of others. I love to surround myself with artists, creators, designers and inventors and lighting design gives me the opportunity to work with lots of different creatives from lots of different backgrounds. I learn a lot from seeing how others design and put things together and with lighting design I get to work next to architects, interior designers, lighting designers, manufacturers, contractors, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, project managers, and even owners who are all creative in their own unique ways.

Qualifications

University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado | B.S., Architectural Engineering (2008)
Licensed Professional Engineer
LEED Green Associate
NCQLP - Lighting Certified (LC)
Living Building Ambassador

Ferdinand McAvoy

Alex Martin

Northern Region Lighting Lead

What's your favorite time of day?

I like the evening around dusk, aka golden hour. The transition from light to dark and the interplay of colors within the sky are always so beautiful.

What's your favorite Glumac project?

I loved working on the George R. Brown Convention Center Renovation in Houston. It was a huge project which involved upgrading the façade, atrium lobbies and concourse, and the addition of a large pedestrian plaza along the front of the building. I had the opportunity to collaborate with multiple architects, landscape architects, artists, engineers, and contractors with the united goal of producing the best possible design in preparation of Houston hosting Super Bowl LI and welcoming a global audience to the project site.

What inspires you?

I’m inspired by those who came before me and the legacies they have left behind. A visit to the museum always gets me motivated. I am a lighting designer because I believe that providing the right light in the right place is an art.

Qualifications

University of Houston, Houston, Texas | Bachelor of Architecture (2013)
Lighting Certified (LC) by the National Council on Qualifications for the Lighting Professions (NCQLP)
LEED Accredited Professional Building Design and Construction (LEED AP BD+C)
Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA), Member
United States Green Building Council (USGBC), Member

Ferdinand McAvoy

Russell Cook

Southern Region Lighting Lead

What's your favorite time of day?

I’m a big fan of that glorious mid-afternoon sunshine. I love getting that awesome 100 CRI light source through my house, not using any lights, and the PV on the rooftop maxed out. I always like to find a moment during this time of day to step outside to feel the warm sunlight on my skin and a nice afternoon breeze. Daylight truly is the perfect light source and so easy to forget about the simple things in life.

What's your favorite Glumac project?

I was fortunate enough to be a part of a Glumac project where we provided lighting and engineering for a combo lab/office space. The architect pushed the technology and sustainability aspects in the design. As a result, there were systems that integrated lighting and mechanical elements together for a seamless ceiling. Nothing was left to chance and, like they say, the devil was in the details. The end-product came out gorgeous and showcased the client’s distinct brand standards.

What inspires you?

I’m a millennial nerd and engrossed in technology, innovation, and “what’s the latest.” For me, lighting design is finding new ways to solve old problems, using the latest in tech to do so. We live in the age of information, and now more than ever, we have the ability to share ideas- whether that is the latest white paper on chromaticity and color shifts in LEDs or the most splendid library design of the decade . I'm consistently amazed at the ingenuity and resourcefulness of my peers and find inspiration every day from the successes of others.

Qualifications

California State University, Fullerton, CA, BS, Mechanical Engineering (2010)
Lighting Certified (LC)
Engineer in Training (EIT)
Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), Member

Jamie Tills

Lighting Designer

What's your favorite time of day?

My absolute favorite time of day is morning. In terms of chronotypes, I’m a bear (my sleep pattern is aligned with the sun) but I definitely have lion-like tendencies (up before dawn). On the days that I’m more lion-like, it’s incredible to watch the sky change from lavender to pink to orange. It’s when I feel most calm before the chaos of the day begins.

What's your favorite Glumac project?

My first taste of playing lighting designer was for a school in Medina WA. As the electrical engineer on the project (in my previous life), I also handled the lighting design and it was so much fun having more collaboration with the architect than I was previously used to. I love working on schools because the design of the building, including the lighting, has such an impact on learning. Schools also allow the use of more playful elements, such as incorporating color or using lighting to edge a fun wall graphic.

Why are you a lighting designer?

I’m a lighting designer because I’ve always loved how lighting borders on both science and art. It allows me to start with a prescriptive template in terms of control requirements, illuminance standards, and energy code regulations, while letting me use creativity and art to do the rest.

Qualifications

University of Nebraska, Omaha, Nebraska | M.S., Architectural Engineering (2010)
Licensed Professional Engineer
LEED Accredited Professional Building Design + Construction (LEED AP BD+C)

Ferdinand McAvoy

Mark Prenger

Lighting Designer

What's your favorite time of day?

My favorite time of day is a tie actually. I love the golden hour in the evening when the light is warm and soft and the angle of the sun create long dynamic crisp shadows. The colors are so dreamy with the dramatic shadow contrast. The other time of day is late at night when the sky is clear and you can see the stars. I can stare up at them for hours.

What's your favorite Glumac project?

My favorite project I have worked on at Glumac is the SoCal Gas Building K project because it is the first project where I have been able to design the electric and daylighting. Daylight factors so much into our experience as humans and it has been so fun to pair the two to create the best quality lighting for the users that will be experience and working in the space.

What inspires you?

Lighting design is such a great mash up of technical physics and art. On a science side, I am constantly inspired by the ever changing technology of lighting. On the art side, I draw so much of my inspiration from nature and the patterns and shapes that are found all around us. Light plays such a huge (often unnoticed) role in our lives, and I am a lighting designer to show that great lighting can be achieved on every project.

Qualifications

University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado | B.S., Architectural Engineering (2012)
WELL Accredited Professional
Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA), Member

Ferdinand McAvoy

Lucia Belloso

Lighting Designer

What's your favorite time of day?

I like the evening around dusk, aka golden hour. The transition from light to dark and the interplay of colors within the sky are always so beautiful.

What's your favorite Glumac project?

I loved working on the George R. Brown Convention Center Renovation in Houston. It was a huge project which involved upgrading the façade, atrium lobbies and concourse, and the addition of a large pedestrian plaza along the front of the building. I had the opportunity to collaborate with multiple architects, landscape architects, artists, engineers, and contractors with the united goal of producing the best possible design in preparation of Houston hosting Super Bowl LI and welcoming a global audience to the project site.

What inspires you?

I’m inspired by those who came before me and the legacies they have left behind. A visit to the museum always gets me motivated. I am a lighting designer because I believe that providing the right light in the right place is an art.

“I get to work with an extremely accomplished designers all with a unique mix of talent and we get to tackle some fantastic projects together.”

Ferdinand McAvoy

Derek Bauer

Lighting designer // Electrical Engineer

What's your favorite time of day?

My favorite time of day is sunrise; probably most realistically because I’m rarely awake for when they happen. I love the feeling of the cold morning dew and the crisp air as the sun begins to peak along the horizon. Unlike sunsets which tend to feature vibrant hues of colors, sunrises focus on the pastels which feel like the birth of a new day. And as the sun ascends you get the warm feel over your skin. I don’t think I’ve ever not appreciated the sunrise.

What's your favorite Glumac project?

My favorite lighting project that I’ve worked on was back when I worked at HLB; George Bush Intercontinental Airport – Terminal C renovation. It was my first real design by myself that featured a series of meandering lights down the path and a huge focus on visibility and daylight. The design goal was to make the space really pleasant to be in, and we did achieved that, and in the end won an IES award.

What inspires you?

Honestly my favorite part about being creative is the ability to come up with solutions for unique and challenging problems. Lighting allows us really be the shapers of perspective for a space, and while we want people to see their world clearly, we also want them to feel the space in a way that makes them identify that building differently from the feeling of another one.

I think the best designs are when your creativity clashes with another designer, whether that be architect, landscape, engineer, or another lighting. It forces two or more people to work together to make something unique and special, something that’s not exactly all of one person but a combination of their combined creativity.

Qualifications

University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado | M.S., Civil Engineering (2012); B.S., Architectural Engineering (2010)
Licensed Professional Engineer
LEED Accredited Professional Building Design + Construction (LEED AP BD+C)
Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), Member

Ferdinand McAvoy

Caitlin McMullen

Lighting Designer

What's your favorite time of day?

My favorite part of the day is ‘dawn’. I love the appearance of indirect sunlight often accompanied by a pink and blue haze peaking behind the trees.

“Dawn is the time when nothing breathes, the hour of silence. Everything is transfixed, only the light moves.” – Leonora Carrington

What's your favorite Glumac project?

There are some hotels and residences that I have worked on in the past that stand out to me, but I am looking forward to start working on projects with more intention and sustainability. I would like my projects to reflect making a difference in the community such as education, healthcare, or transportation projects.

What inspires you?

As a very niche industry that I happened to just fall into, I appreciate the way ‘good’ lighting can affect everything around you. Lighting can affect the mood, health, behaviors, and influence the experience of the space. I am inspired by not only the appearance of lighting but the way it can make you feel in a space.

Qualifications

Dallas College, Dallas, Texas | A.A.S Interior Design (2019)
ITT Technical Institute | A.A.S. Drafting & Design Technology (2014)

Ferdinand McAvoy

Max Hoffman

Lighting Designer

What's your favorite time of day?

While not an everyday occurrence, my favorite moment of natural light is when the sky clears after a rainstorm. The colors of the sky, trees, and the rest of the landscape become more vivid, causing every scene to feel defined and textured. It is a perfect time to take photos or just take a moment to enjoy the natural calm after the storm.

What's your favorite Glumac project?

My favorite project I have worked on was a small retirement community for seniors. The most enjoyable aspect of the project was the impact on the occupant-- there are a lot of small considerations for older residents that make a large difference in their lives. It is vital to take care of our society's seniors and I was proud to be able to help create spaces for them to safely age.

What inspires you?

I draw from a wide range of inspiration, but a significant aspect is being able to create a brighter future for the world through sustainable practices. I believe it is the responsibility to young designers and engineers to bring a commitment to change our industry for the better. I am proud to be in an organization that shares the same beliefs!

Qualifications

University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH | Masters of Business Administration (2022)
University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH | B.S., Architectural Engineering (2022)