Services

JNKA does not have a signature design approach; rather, each of our designs reflects the unique identity and vision of each client we serve while also respecting the existing context. JNKA’s designs range from classical to contemporary and our diverse portfolio reflects the diversity of the clients and communities we serve.

We believes successful projects are the direct result of thoughtful and thorough collaborations between the Owner, Architect and Contractor, and that effective communication is essential to developing successful designs. This requires good chemistry between everyone involved, and we see it as our responsibility to promote and maintain positive relationships with our clients, consultants and contractors from the outset of every project. 

JNKA prides itself on maintaining a balance of creativity, economy and technical proficiency, and on successfully executing the design and construction phases of each project with a team-oriented approach. Our ability to work collaboratively with community leaders, building committees, consultants, and contractors is essential to helping our clients stay on budget and achieving their visions.

We aspire to develop innovative designs that have a positive impact on the broader community. For each project we value the importance of the surrounding area’s social identity and cultural heritage, and we strive to create inspiring designs that achieve our clients’ objectives while being mindful of the physical and cultural context.

JNKA takes great pride in its ability to effectively manage all phases of its projects. From design inception through completion of construction, JNKA maintains continuity in project management and is proactive in guiding its clients through each phase as required to successfully realize their goals. 

From the initial Visioning, Programming, and Master Planning/Schematic Design Phase, through the subsequent Design Development, Construction Documents, Procurement and Construction Phases, JNKA is committed to developing strong working relationships, providing steadfast guidance to its clients, and maintaining a collaborative and team-oriented approach to working with engineers, specialty consultants and contractors to assure the success of its projects.

All of JNKA’s work is overseen by the firm’s President and Director of Design, David Kuhlman, and one of JNKA’s Associates or Senior Architects is assigned as the Designer and Project Manager based on their experience, expertise and personal connection to each particular client and project. David Kuhlman and the Designer/Project Manager lead and direct all phases of the project from the initial design phase through the completion of construction. This approach provides continuity in communication, management and leadership over the duration of our projects and ensures our personal and professional relationship with each client, which is essential to the success of every project.

On an as-needed basis, other members of the JNKA team are assigned to work on our projects directly under the Project Manager’s supervision, including Project Architects, Job Captains, Design Coordinators and Intern Architects. The Project Architect will assist the Project Manager in directing and coordinating the architectural and engineering work and will serve as an additional contact for the client, consultants and contractor.

We believe one of our primary strengths is our thorough understanding of the multitude of design and technical issues pertaining to a wide range of building types, including architectural and interior design, sustainable design, lighting, acoustics, and audio-visual systems design. After the exact scope and nature of each project’s design and engineering needs are defined during the Master Plan/Schematic Design Phase, JNKA expands the required professional expertise to include the required consultants that would best complement the Owner-Architect team. Typical project teams include civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering consultants, landscape architects, and, depending on the project, additional specialty consultants such as lighting designers, acoustical design consultants, audio-visual systems designers, LEED Consultants, facility assessment engineers, and material scientists. Through our many years of experience, we have developed a broad network of expert design consultants, product reps, contractors, and subcontractors who understand and can meet the unique needs of each project. Our professional team and select consultants possess the capabilities to work well with building committees, develop accurate cost estimates, assist with budgetary concerns, and meet aggressive project schedules.

Because JNKA specializes in serving community-based clients whose primary source of financing for their projects is fundraising from within their communities, we fully understand and are very sensitive to the importance of meeting the construction budgets established by our clients, which we believe is one of our primary responsibilities. We strive to identify and implement the Project Delivery Method that best enables us to meet each client’s design and budgetary goals, and we have built a strong reputation for these services. Over the last 20+ years, one method that has been very successful is an Integrated Team Approach that involves our internal design team working collaboratively with a pre-selected Construction Manager(CM), Design-Build Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing contractors, and additional engineers and specialty consultants as required to achieve the unique design goals and budgetary requirements of each project. With the real-world construction experience of the CM and Design-Build MEP contractors, our Integrated Team is able to develop accurate cost estimates and construction schedules during the design phases, and to explore phasing and construction logistics issues that often have a direct impact on construction costs. And when cost estimates are over budget, this approach enables our team to more efficiently explore and estimate the cost impact of design revisions and value engineering concepts as required to meet our client’s budget.