History and Culture of George Sexton Associates
George Sexton Associates (GSA), has brought an established yet innovative approach to the fields of lighting design and museum design since the firm was founded in 1980. During this period, GSA has completed a wide range of lighting design projects that vary in size from large scale urban, commercial and institutional projects to smaller scale residential projects. In each project, GSA strives to integrate architectural, aesthetic and functional considerations, with the technical, budget and schedule requirements of our clients.
George Sexton Associates has developed an extensive portfolio of involvement with complex lighting design projects, including educational organizations, museums and galleries, landscapes and parks, capitol buildings, opera houses, libraries, hospitals, office buildings, rapid transit systems, sports arenas, outdoor sculpture, churches and public plazas. Examples of smaller projects include private art collections, residences and specific portions of larger projects such as public areas.
The staff at George Sexton Associates is comprised of professionals with a wide variety of complementary skills which we believe improves our ability to respond to the diverse needs of lighting design projects, design teams and our clients. Creative collaboration between the client’s team and GSA, from the early stages of a project through completion, enhances our ability to assist with the development of effective design solutions that are informed by budget and scheduling goals.
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George S. Sexton III, I.E.S., I.A.L.D
George Sexton established George Sexton Associates in 1980, an office dedicated to providing consulting services in the areas of lighting design, and museum design and planning services. He earned a degree in Architecture from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Prior to forming his own firm, he worked as a lighting designer for Claude Engle, as a museum specialist for the National Gallery of Art, as Acting Director for the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts in England, and as Chief Exhibitions Designer and Head of Design with the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. In thirty-five years of practice he has built an extensive history of involvement with challenging projects of all scales. He has established a highly professional and innovative approach to the field of museum and lighting design.
George Sexton lectures widely on lighting and exhibition design. He is a member of the Illuminating Engineering Society, the International Association of Lighting Designers and the American Institute of Architects.
George Sexton, as principal of the firm, is responsible for establishing the design direction, overall coordination, and execution of the firm’s projects.
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George Sexton Associates Selected Projects
Architect: Foster + Partners
Year Completed: 2014
Photography: Nigel Young_Foster + Partners
Award: IIDA Edwin F. Guth Memorial Award of Excellence for Interior Lighting Design, 2011
George Sexton Associates provided artificial and natural lighting design services for this museum expansion and renovation project.GSA provided lighting design for gallery, public, retail, and office spaces as well as the back entrance. With the opening of the Art of the Americas wing, Museum of Fine Arts Boston has integrated a new and cutting-edge building within the fabric of a historic and venerable museum institution. The Foster + Partners design not only provides a new suite of galleries, a glass-enclosed atrium, new offices and administrative spaces, it also re-establishes the historic North-South axis of the building with renovated entrances and a new visitor information center. The challenge of this lighting design was to achieve the best possible presentation of the artwork and architecture while meeting rigorous conservation requirements and a strict energy budget.
Photos by George Sexton Associates
Smithsonian Reynolds Center National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum /
Robert & Arlene Kogod Courtyard
Architect: Foster + Partners
Completed: 2007
Photography: Images 1 & 10: Ken Rahaim, Smithsonian Institution. Additional photo credits: Nigel Young_Foster + Partners
Award: 2008 IIDA Section Guth Illumination Design Award
George Sexton Associates joined the design team led by Foster + Partners to develop a lighting solution for the innovative enclosure for the 28,000–square–foot space at the center of the building. The exterior atrium of the old Patent Office Building has been a recognizable daytime destination in Washington for many years. The roof and landscape additions reinforce the historic value of the daytime experience and the lighting design extends the notion of destination after sundown. The lighting design for the new courtyard enclosure and landscape delicately balances the old and the new and transforms a space full of natural light into a multipurpose evening venue. The challenge was to transform a large historic space with a contemporary glass roof and landscape into a cherished and warm evening destination. The design creates intimacy within a grand volume for formal-use while composing a unique nighttime experience for the general public.
Photos by George Sexton Associates
Design Architect: RMJM
Completed: 2009
Award: GE Edison Award of Merit, 2009
George Sexton Associates provided lighting design services for the construction of this new LEED gold certified college center. Comprised of a high-tech library, the building also brings together classrooms, a café, an art gallery, a radio station, a community service center, meeting rooms, and a “Forum” space. The electric lighting systems were designed to support the activities and architectural expression of the faculty in a responsible budget-conscious manner. Daylighting design primarily focused upon the Forum space where the challenge was to foster a truly open-to-the-sky experience that is comfortable for all users.
Photos by George Sexton Associates
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