Architects Promoted in D.C., Michigan Offices
Quinn Evans, a leading national planning and design firm, recently announced the promotion of three professionals to senior associate. Denise Close, AIA, Fitwel Amb., and Ben Telian, AIA, LEED AP, are architects in the Ann Arbor, Mich., office. Charles Sparkman, AIA, is an architect in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office.
Denise Close joined Quinn Evans in 2016 and has approximately 20 years of experience. Her current projects include the renovation and adaptive use of the circa-1925 Walter H. French Junior High School into affordable housing in Lansing, Mich., and the restoration of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in North Carolina for the National Park Service. Close’s diverse portfolio also includes museums and libraries, such as the renovation and expansion of the Glen Lake Community Library in Empire, Mich.
Close holds a Master of Architecture (2000) from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies (1998) from the University of Illinois. She is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and a Fitwel Ambassador.
Benjamin Telian joined Quinn Evans in 2016 and has more than ten years of architectural experience. His recent projects include Heritage Hall, a new welcome center and meeting space at the historic Michigan State Capitol in Lansing, Mich.; and the New North Branch of the Clinton-Macomb Library, also in Michigan.
Telian holds a Master of Architecture (2012) and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture (2005) from the University of Michigan. He is a member of the AIA.
Charles Sparkman joined Quinn Evans in 2019 and has nearly ten years of experience. His current projects include renovations and additions to two historic federal buildings along the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and design of a production facility and campus for the U.S. Botanic Garden, also in Washington, D.C.
Sparkman holds a Master of Architecture (2012) from the University of Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts (2009) from Duke University. He is a member of the AIA and a LEED Accredited Professional with the Green Building Certification Institute.
About Quinn Evans
Quinn Evans provides services in architecture, interior design, planning, landscape architecture, urban revitalization, and historic preservation, including sustainable preservation and stewardship. The firm has employs more than 200 professionals in six office locations in Washington, D.C.; Ann Arbor and Detroit, Michigan; Madison, Wisconsin; Baltimore, Maryland; and Richmond, Virginia. Nationally ranked in its sustainability practice, Quinn Evans is a charter signatory of the AIA 2030 Challenge and a member of the Center for the Built Environment.
Established in 1984, Quinn Evans specializes in cultural, institutional, commercial, and educational projects, including museums, historic parks, theaters, mixed-use buildings, government buildings, schools and campus facilities, libraries, and major civic landmarks and infrastructure. Current projects for the firm include the modernization of the National Air and Space Museum and the renovation of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.; renovation of the Old City Hall and Virginia Commonwealth University’s new STEM building in Richmond, Va.; and the redevelopment of Baltimore’s Penn Station.
Additional projects underway include the design of security improvements to support ferry transit operations to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty and the restoration of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in North Carolina, both for the National Park Service. For Ford, Quinn Evans is currently designing the restoration and adaptive use of the landmark Michigan Central Station in Detroit. Other Michigan projects include the adaptive use of the Walter French High School into housing in Lansing and the Farmer’s Market at the Henry Ford Greenfield Village. For more information, visit www.quinnevans.com.
