Kirk Nelson designs beyond your expectations

Orange Coast Magazine Honorable mention
"Best of Orange County"
2001 Designer

Feature Home Laguna Beach Charm House 2001

Kirk Nelson, born in Nebraska and raised in the Fresno area, grew up with a love for art, music and design. He graduated from California University Fresno in 1981, with Bachelor of Arts degrees in Architecture and Commercial Art. Kirk joined Jack Schutt & Associates Architects in 1980, doing primarily custom residences and church design. In 1981, he moved to Long Beach to commence his studies towards a Master of Fine Arts degree in Interior Architecture at California State University, Long Beach. While working his MFA degree, Kirk worked with several firms, including two years with the WZMH Group in Irvine focusing on interior design and architecture and completing projects such as The Equidon Wateridge Marketing Pavilion in San Diego, and the lobbies of Westerly Place in Newport Beach and the Atrium Building in Irvine; in addition to multiple tenant improvement projects.

Kirk joined Gensler and Associates in 1983 while completing his MFA and a book on natural and non-natural lighting techniques for residential and commercial design. At Gensler, Kirk coordinated all the new and remodel tenant improvement work for the Koll Company and Legacy Company in Newport and Irvine, also performing as a project designer for First Interstate Bank and various other professional service and development firms. In addition to millions of constructed square feet of various commercial space, he also designed furniture for Steelcase and G/O Salman, as well as a line of wall covering for Tomasello.

In 1986, after three years with Gensler and Associates, Kirk created Design Intervention, Inc. His portfolio of development clientele includes: The Koll Company, First Interstate Bank, The Irvine Company, Insignia Commercial Management, Arnel Development, R&B Commercial Management, Fujita and Sante Fe Pacific just to name a few. Design Intervention has maintained approximately10 million square feet of tenant space from high rises to multi-use industrial complexes. Specializing in Tenant Improvement services, Kirk has expanded his business to include CADD services, custom residential design and graphic art. As an artist, Kirk also explores varied techniques of fine art, hanging art with various corporate collections. His works have also been shown at The Rolling Gallery in Santa Monica, California.

In 1993, Kirk established a construction arm with IA Construction to expand the capacity of design services to design build and general contracting. With precise coordination between Design Intervention and IA Construction, successful relocation, expansion, and custom interiors were accomplished for Gotcha Sportswear, Virgin Interactive, Baxter Healthcare and many others.