1 2 3 4 5 6

SERVICES

Kugler Ning Lighting is a top, award-winning, New York City architectural lighting design firm. The majority of our clients and projects are located in the New York City area, but our work spans North America and abroad. We collaborate with owners, architects and designers to enhance visual hierarchy and bring focus to each project with lighting.

We provide lighting design services for:

Sustainable Projects

Workplace

corporate
law
media
technology
videoconferencing

Lifestyle

event spaces
hospitality
residence
restaurant
retail and showroom

Real Estate Development

commercial
residential
amenity
lobby
masterplan design

Exterior

facade
park
plaza
site

Public and Private

historic restoration
museum and gallery
religious institution
school and university

We offer a full scope of services from schematic design through the construction phase. In addition to luminaire specifications, shop drawing review and lighting drawings, our services include production of meticulous working details for custom fixtures and mock-ups. Staff skills include AutoCAD, AGI, and Revit. Our team approach allows us to produce cost effective designs in a timely and efficient manner.

PEOPLE

Principals, studio directors, senior associates, project managers, and designers combine their creative energies to produce award winning lighting designs. Backgrounds in architecture, interior design, and theater provide our staff with a unique knowledge base. Senior staff members have a combined total of over forty years’ experience in the lighting profession. Acutely sensitive to client requirements, our designs synthesize architecture and performance. The proposed team will work closely together and will collectively be responsible for design, documentation, and construction administration.

Kugler Ning Lighting is certified as a Minority Owned Business Enterprise in New York State.

JERRY KUGLER

PRINCIPAL, FOUNDER IALD / IES

More Info

Jerry Kugler founded the company in 1983. He has received over twenty awards for his work and has lectured throughout the country. Mr. Kugler’s designs have been featured in numerous architectural and lighting publications. He has served as an International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) awards committee chairperson and as a judge for the New York section of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES). Mr. Kugler is a corporate member of IALD, member of IES, and associate member of the AIA. He taught lighting design to graduate students at Princeton University – School of Architecture from 1987 to 2006. Mr. Kugler has also taught at Parsons / New School. He graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a master’s Degree in architecture. In 2019, Mr. Kugler received an honorarium at Washington University known as the “Laskey Charrette.”

Jerry is currently overseeing Bank of America Pavilion and Carnegie Hall Café both located in New York City and Raclin Murphy Museum of Art located in Notre Dame Indiana.

Jerry was recently the recipient of the 2018 National IES Award of Excellence and the 2018 IESNYC Award of Merit for his work on McKim, Mead & White Main Dining Room Restoration in New York. He is also the recipient of the 2017 National IES Award of Merit for his work on SONY Corporation of America located in New York City and the IESNA 2015 Award of Distinction for Yale Sterling Memorial Library Restoration, New Haven, CT.

JACKSON NING II

PRINCIPAL, PRESIDENT IES

More Info

Jackson Ning II began his lighting career at Emory University where he studied theatrical lighting, set design and sound design. The theater provided a hands-on experience to learn the emotional effects of lighting, dynamics of changing light and the effects of colored light.

After he received a BA in Economics from Emory, Jackson, born and raised in NYC, returned home to design and manage architectural lighting projects. Current projects include offices for Bank of America and Deerfield both located in New York City and Resorts World Casino Expansion in Queens.

Jackson was recently the recipient of the 2020 National IES Award of Merit for his work on Intersect by Lexus, NYC. He was also the recipient of two 2018 National IES Awards of Merit for his work on Four Seasons, Houston and Samsung 837, NYC. Additional awards include two 2017 National IES Awards of Merit for his work on Time Inc. Headquarters, NYC and Paul Hastings offices, NYC and a 2016 National IES Award of Merit for his work on One Hotel South Beach, Miami.

AMBER MORIARTY

PRINCIPAL, STUDIO DIRECTOR IES

More Info

Amber Moriarty joined Kugler Ning Lighting in 2006 after graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design from Cazenovia College, where she studied interiors and architectural lighting. Amber became Studio Director in 2013 and Principal in 2017. She manages the day to day workflow of the studio and has also been the lead project manager for multiple projects, such as Carnegie Hall Masterplan and Facade, Paul Hastings NYC Offices, Nomura Holdings Americas NYC Headquarters, Temple Beth-El, Chappaqua and Proenza Schouler Soho.

Amber has been presented numerous lighting awards throughout her career. She recently received the 2017 National IES Award of Merit for her work on Paul Hastings, the 2015 IESNYC and IESNA Award of Excellence for Carnegie Hall Façade, and the 2014 National IES Merit Award for Proenza Schouler Soho.

MICHELE CLEMENT

PRINCIPAL

More Info

Michele Clement moved to New York City after graduating from LSU with a Bachelor’s in interior design to pursue a career in architectural lighting design. Michele has been a leader in the industry for over 20 years, devoted to incorporating the technical and scientific aspects of lighting to an aesthetic consciousness within her projects.

Prior to joining KNL in 2017, Michele was a Partner with a notable international lighting design firm in New York, specializing in retail, hospitality, commercial and residential design. Michele has recently worked with renowned architects including Jean Novel, Herzog & de Meuron, Robert Stern, Thierry Despont, and Peter Marino. Michele recently completed Fotografiska NYC, DWS Deutsche Bank Offices NYC and Prism ON3 Lobby renovation in Nutley,NJ. She is currently overseeing The World Resorts Casino Expansion in NY, Raclin Murphey Museum of Art at Notre Dame, The Persian Congregation Synagogue in New York and Tribune Tower in Chicago.

Michele was a visiting professor for the MFA program at Pratt Institute and is a past recipient of National IES Lumen and IALD Awards for recognition of her previous projects prior to joining KNL.

ASHLEY MOENCH

PRINCIPAL

More Info

Ashley Moench graduated from Cazenovia College in Upstate New York with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design in 2007. Shortly thereafter, she moved to New York and joined Kugler Ning Lighting as a designer. Over the past 13 years in the lighting industry, Ashley has had the privilege to work on a variety of projects – corporate lobbies, trading firms, flagship stores, and experience centers – which have both increased her knowledge base and appreciation for this craft. She recently completed Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz Offices in LA and 1199 SEIU Funds Offices in New York. With fellow Principal, Burr Rutledge, she had the pleasure of working on repositioning efforts at Willis Tower in Chicago. She became Principal in 2017 and is currently overseeing several law firm projects, Virgin Hotel’s first outpost in New York, a police station in Washington DC, Four Seasons Minneapolis, and an experience center in San Diego.

Ashley was a recipient of the 2020 National IES Award of Merit for her work on Intersect by Lexus located in New York City. She was also the recipient of the 2018 National IES Award of Merit for her work on Samsung 837 NYC, the 2017 National IES Award of Merit for her work on Paul Hastings LLP offices located in New York and the 2014 National IES Award of Merit for Proenza Schouler SOHO.

BURR RUTLEDGE

PRINCIPAL IALD / IES

More Info

Burr Rutledge is passionate about transforming architectural spaces and the human experience with the creative use of light. After more than fifteen years in practice in New York City, he joined Kugler Ning Lighting in 2013 and became Principal in 2017. He holds a Master of Science Lighting and a Bachelor of Architecture from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Burr served for over ten years on both the IALD Energy and Sustainability Committee and on the IESNA technical papers committee. Burr is currently overseeing a variety of projects, including the historic facade, exterior amenities, and luxury residential spaces at the Landmarked Waldorf Astoria; continuing renovations of the Four Seasons hotel in Houston; and new workplaces for a leading technology firm’s Artificial Intelligence + Research division in New York City.

Burr was recently the recipient of the 2018 National IES Award of Excellence and 2018 IESNYC Award of Merit for his work on McKim, Mead & White Main Dining Room Restoration in New York. He was also the recipient of the 2018 National IES Award of Merit for Four Seasons Houston. Other recent recognition includes the 2017 National IES Awards of Merit for his work on Time Inc. Headquarters and SONY Corporation of America, and the 2016 National IES Award of Merit for Mt. Sinai headquarters, all located in New York City.

CLIENTS

Our prestigious clients include:

AWARDS

Throughout the firm’s history, we have been presented with numerous lighting and design awards.

More Awards

KNL-2015-IESNYC4 KNL-2015-IESNYC3 KNL-2015-IESNYC2 KNL-2015-IESMerit KNL-2015-IESExcellence3 KNL-2015-IESExcellence2 KNL-2015-AIA2 KNL-2014-IntDesignMag4 KNL-2014-IntDesignMag3 KNL-2014-IES2 KNL-2014-AIAPhilly KNL-2008-AIARegional KNL-2005-GEEdison KNL-2003-IIDA KNL-2003-IESLumen KNL-2002-IIDA KNL-2002-IESLumen

HISTORY

Our company was founded in 1983 by Jerry Kugler. Born, raised, and still a resident of Brooklyn, Jerry is passionate about architecture. Under Jerry’s leadership, our firm has collaborated with acclaimed architecture and design firms to help shape New York City as we know it today. His recent work includes the masterplan and façade lighting for Carnegie Hall, as well as several developments around the World Trade Center site including the glass entrance Pavilion and the Wintergarden at the World Financial Center, now known as Brookfield Place. Other noteworthy projects include Zuccotti Park, the Nomura Headquarters and Yale University’s historic renovation of the Sterling Memorial Library.

Jackson Ning II joined the firm in 2003 and became Principal in 2007. Jackson’s talent for management has helped grow the firm to the size that it is today. The firm is organized to maintain high quality designs on projects of all sizes and to remain nimble to meet demanding schedules. Some of Jackson’s noteworthy projects are the LEED Platinum, Hearst Tower Offices, the Nobu restaurant in Doha, Bayer Headquarters, the Proenza Schouler Store in SoHo, and the Skylark Rooftop Bar and Lounge.

OUR APPROACH

Lighting renders all materials visible. We shall engage the design team and set expectations for how lighting can support the look and feel of a project. We shall identify lighting opportunities that enhance the architecture, finishes and products and help the lighting fulfill its function over the life of the project.

Ownership: There is no market that is as sophisticated, demanding and unforgiving as the New York City market. We work hard to integrate, share ownership and responsibility at all levels of staff within our studio so that we can provide a highly technical design that is consistently well-executed.

Collaboration: We understand the concepts and details of other designers’ work and can apply their goals creatively to a choice of appropriate lighting design solutions.

Integration: We find that design success occurs when lighting integrates seamlessly into the environment and spaces are memorable and feel effortlessly illuminated.