Industry veteran specializes in the design, management, and construction of healthcare, life sciences, education, and mixed-use structures
Global engineering services leader DeSimone Consulting Engineering has announced that Tuna Yelkikanat, PE, M.ENG, a complex engineering expert, has joined the firm’s New York City office as an Associate Principal.
Highly skilled in the design, management, and construction of complex building structures, Yelkikanat will work closely with DeSimone Managing Principal, Mukesh Parikh, PE, managing the design and construction of large-scale concrete and steel structures globally.
Stephen DeSimone, Chairman and CEO of DeSimone Consulting Engineering, said, “Throughout his career, Tuna has pushed boundaries and raised the bar ever higher with every project. We enthusiastically welcome him back to DeSimone, where his advanced engineering expertise—particularly in the design and management of healthcare, education, and life sciences projects—will fortify our ability to provide unparalleled innovation and responsive service to our clients.”
A 20-year veteran of the industry, Yelkikanat’s previous experience includes time with DeSimone as a Project Manager. During this previous tenure at DeSimone, he managed several high-profile, technically challenging projects, such as the Zaha Hadid-designed 520 West 28th Street, an 11-story, super-luxury residential building overlooking The High Line park in NYC, as well as the Millennium Tower, a one million SF, mixed-use structure in Boston’s Downtown Crossing district, designed by Handel Architects. Previously, Yelkikanat lent his skill and experience to the project team for the Shanghai Tower—China’s tallest at 2,074 feet and designed by Gensler.
A native of Istanbul, Turkey, Yelkikanat has managed structural engineering design services across various sectors in addition to healthcare, including institutional work in the New York / New Jersey region. His work includes the 500,000-square-foot Rutgers/University Hospital ADMB Building, the first component of the $1.8 billion University Hospital expansion in Newark, New Jersey, and the new Regeneron Pharmaceuticals campus expansion in Tarrytown, New York. Yelkikanat formed part of the project team that delivered a new, 13-story, academic mixed-use building for Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Yelkikanat said, “I have always held DeSimone Consulting Engineering in the highest regard because of the quality of their work and reputation in the building industry as a trusted partner for the most daring and boundary-defying projects clients can envision. As an Associate Principal, it will be nothing short of an honor to contribute my skills to a company that supported and challenged me to grow as a professional. Returning to DeSimone feels like coming home—but to a DeSimone that has evolved into a powerful global engineering force.”
Yelkikanat’s commitment to excellence extends beyond project delivery. He has mentored and developed engineering staff, fostering work cultures of collaboration and technical excellence, and remains an active member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the American Concrete Institute (ACI), and the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
Yelkikanat holds a master’s degree in Structural Engineering from CUNY, City College of New York, where he completed a notable project on the redundancy analysis of highway bridge structures using the Non-Linear Static Pushover Analysis (NLSA) method. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Bogazici University in Istanbul, Turkey, where he graduated with the Honor Student Award. A licensed Professional Engineer in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.
About DeSimone Consulting Engineering
Founded in New York City in 1969, DeSimone Consulting Engineering provides structural engineering, façade design consulting, integrated design and detailing, and construction consulting services across building types. Known for delivering thoughtful, innovative, and sustainable solutions to clients around the world, the firm places a premium on providing trusted, dedicated service from offices in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, South America, and the Middle East. www.de-simone.com.
