Architecture alum Jhaelen Hernandez-Eli talks to the New York Times about his role at the Met

Jhaelen Hernandez-Eli (BA Architecture 2002), vice president of construction at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, is overseeing multiple renovation projects for the museum, totaling $2 billion. He recently talked to the New York Times about his role, noting “The best rationale [for decisions] is finding the theoretical, historical and then contemporary ethical framework.”

Hernandez-Eli’s Berkeley education comes through not only in his emphasis on architecture as an ethical practice — in his work at the museum, he is also focused on sustainability: “The emphasis on environmental performance and dealing with the climate crisis is not separate and apart from the discussion around aesthetics,” Mr. Hernandez-Eli said. “I think that oftentimes those two things get divorced. You’re either focused on what a thing looks like or how a thing performs. Our argument here is that they’re not mutually exclusive, they’re merged.”

Photo: Jeenah Moon for the New York Times.