ABOUT US
At Zinkon Creative Studio we believe light can transform an environment into an experience.
-
Our designs are considerate to human factors
-
Our passion promotes creative solutions
-
Our design process is focused on collaboration
-
Our curiosity fosters our expertise, driving us both educators and life-long learners
-
Our designs embrace environmental responsibility
OUR STORY
MEET THE DESIGNERS
Ardra Zinkon, CLD, IALD
President
Director of Lighting Design
Ardra brings nearly three decades of architectural lighting and technology design experience to Zinkon Creative Studio. A Certified Lighting Designer (CLD) and Professional Member of the IALD, she is known for balancing technical precision with creative clarity — a throughline in her work since she began designing professionally in 1997.
​
Her leadership in the lighting community includes serving on the IALD Board of Directors and chairing the Professional Advancement Group. Within the Illuminating Engineering Society, she chairs the IoT Connected Lighting Committee and contributes to the Progress Report and Rules Committees. Her expertise is widely recognized; she has presented at Lightfair International, IALD Enlighten Americas, the IES Annual Conference, NeoCon, and other national events.
​
Ardra’s work has earned numerous industry honors, including multiple IES Illumination Awards, Cooper Source Awards, GE Edison Awards, and recent recognition from the LIT Design Awards. She leads every project with principal‑level involvement from concept through final aiming, ensuring environments that are visually compelling, energy conscious, and thoughtfully integrated with architecture and technology.
Henry Zinkon
Staff
Lighting Designer
Henry serves as a Lighting Designer in the Studio contributing to commercial, institutional, and civic projects. With six years of hands‑on experience in the studio, he brings a strong technical foundation shaped by work across the full project lifecycle — from photometric calculations and CAD documentation to mockups, site observation, and punch list execution. His résumé notes that this breadth of experience has provided “a strong technical and practical foundation” for his design work.
Before joining the studio full‑time, Henry founded and operated Altitude Martial Arts, where he coached multiple world‑champion student athletes. A 5th‑degree black belt and certified Level 3 instructor and judge, he brings the same discipline, focus, and clarity to lighting design that he brought to the mat.
RECOGNITION
Zinkon Creative Studio is internationally recognized for its award winning lighting design projects
2026 LIT Design Award Honorable Mention for Cleveland Public Library, MLK Branch
2025 IALD Award of Merit for Current, Columbus, Ohio USA
2025 LIT Design Award for Current, Columbus, Ohio USA
2023 IES Illumination Award of Merit, Hocking Hills Lodge
2018 IES Illumination Award of Merit, Cleveland Botanical Garden Glasshouse
2017 Cooper Source Award, Columbus, Metropolitan Library
2017 IES Illumination Award of Merit, Columbus Metropolitan Library
2016 IES Illumination Award of Merit, The District at West Green, Ohio University
2016 Cooper Source Award, honorable Mention, The District at West Green, Ohio University
2016 IES Illumination Award of Merit, CentruyLink Technology Center of Excellence
2014 IES Illumination Award of Merit, Cuyahoga Cty Library, Garfield Heights Branch
2013 Cooper Source Award, Honorable Mention, Cuyahoga Cty Library, Garfield Heights Branch
2013 IES Illumination Award of Merit, Hilton Columbus Downtown
2012 GE Edison Award of Recognition , Hilton Columbus Downtown
2011 IES Illumination Award of Merit, Cleveland Public Library, Rice Branch
2010 GE Edison Award of Excellence, Environmental Design, School of Business, Miami University​​