NELSON CHENG
SET DESIGN, 3D CONCEPT DESIGN
SELECTED WORK
RESUME
NELSON CHENG
SET & CONCEPT DESIGN
WORK EXPERIENCE (FILM/TV)
2025-2026 STARFLEET ACADEMY – SEASON 2
1st Assistant Art Director Set Design
Production Designer Matthew Davies
Art Directors Anne Van Koeverden, Hayley Isaacs, Michaela Cheyne, John Kim
2023-2024 STARFLEET ACADEMY – SEASON 1
1st Assistant Art Director Set Design
Production Designer Matthew Davies
Art Directors Anne Van Koeverden, Matt Morgan, Hayley Isaacs, Christine Gonsalves
2023 STAR TREK: SECTION 31Â (FEATURE)
1st Assistant Art Director Set Design
Production Designer  Paul Kirby
Art Directors Anne Van Koeverden, Matt Morgan, Tijana Petrovic
2022 STAR TREK DISCOVERY – SEASON 5
1st Assistant Art Director Set Design
Production Designer Doug McCullough
Art Directors Matt Middleton, Matt Morgan, Jim Goodall, Anne Van Koeverden
2022 BEACON 23 – SEASON 1
1st Assistant Art Director Set Design
Production Designer Todd Fjelsted
Art Directors Evan Webber, Jennifer Jozwiak
2020/21 STAR TREK DISCOVERY – SEASON 4
2nd Assistant Art Director Set Design
Production Designer Doug McCullough
Art Directors Matt Middleton, Matt Morgan, Jim Goodall, Domini Anderson
2020 STAR TREK STRANGE NEW WORLDS – SEASON 1
2nd Assistant Art Director Set Design
Production Designer Jonathan Lee
Art Directors Jody Clement, Hayley Isaacs, Alex Schnobb
SKILLS
• Technical drafting for construction and sound understanding of construction methods
• 3D design modelling and rendering
• 3D printing integrated building methods
• Industrial and Prop design
• Site and locations surveying
• Hand sketching, drawing, and painting
• Graphic design branding, signage, wayfinding
• Hand lettering, calligraphy
• Fluent in English, Cantonese
• Very basic elementary Japanese
SOFTWARE
Rhinoceros 3D
Autocad
Photoshop
Illustrator
InDesign
3D Printing Slicing
3D Photogrammetry
EDUCATION
2012 Master of Architecture (MArch)
University of Toronto
2008 Bachelor of Design Honours (BDes)
York University/Sheridan Institute
OTHER WORK EXPERIENCE
2010-2017Â VARIOUS ARCHITECTURAL OFFICES
Including:
Gensler Architecture/Design Toronto
Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP NY, New York
Michael Maltzan Architecture, Los Angeles
Susan Speigel Architect Inc. Toronto.
Practised as intern-architect en-route to professional accreditation. Roles consisted of design development, construction drafting, overseeing construction administration on mostly commercial interior projects and public housing projects.
STAR TREK: STARFLEET ACADEMY
SEASON 1
CHANCELLOR’S OFFICE
This set was the personal office of the Nahla Ake, the chancellor of Starfleet Academy. Nahla’s character values antiquity and analog designs, despite being in the distant future. The show runner wanted the design team to draw focus on Arts and Crafts design in to her space. Matthew Davies and I referenced a lot of Frank Lloyd Wright, Charles Rennie Mackintosh and even some japanese architectural wood work as an inspiration for her space.
I was the sole designer on this set and my responsibilities included the initial concept design renderings, drafting and construction developement. I also worked closely with the various departments in developing the design further. With Set Dec we worked on testing furniture, sourcing elements of the fixtures to be integrated in to our builds, the various decorations and electrical rigging. I worked closely with the electrics on LED solutions to the shelving and all the hanging fixtures. Scenic and I worked on the individually tiled fireplace ornamentation, which I designed and 3D printed and they resin casted and made very convincing ceramic tiles.
Graphics also played a large part on this set in developing the custom wallpaper and the final iteration of the stained glass doors. The design was done by Courtney Lee.
TURBOLIFT
The Turbolift is the smart elevator of the Star Trek universe and I had the fortunate task of designing the one for the Academy starship the USS Athena. I was the sole designer to this set. There was 2 turbolifts built, one hero and one background without the monitors.
The design of this set revolved around the windows, which featured transparent OLED monitors that look out in to a large monitor fixed to a kaleidoscopic mirror bezel. The result was a mirror effect which emulated an infinite space that allowedp layback to emulate the effect of moving through space and any direction.
The entire set was made wildable to moved around to different sets requiring the cast to exit or enter the lift.
STAR TREK: SECTION 31
“STREAMING EVENT” (FEATURE)
BARAAM LOUNGE
Baraam Lounge was a Virtual Production Wall set. The set was to be a space station lounge/hotel with focus on a performance area. The production Paul Kirby wanted on aspects of Art Nouveau architecture and graphic design. I was tasked in creating a pattern language that would make its way in to the various set pieces throughout this set.
My responsibilities included overseeing the main floor plan layout, riser design, designing of various set pieces including: banquet seating, performance stage, colonnades, floor lamps, and developing the virtual asset. The giant colonnades acted as a repeating element that would continue in to the virtual asset and used for convincing the viewer of the asset blend; they also provided interest in the foreground for the camera to move around.
The main bar area, VIP seating and entrance facade was design by Roy Zandboer. The overall set renderings were done by Connor Lucas.
STAR TREK DISCOVERY
SEASON 5
SANDRUNNER (SPFX GIMBAL SET)
The Sandrunners was one of my favourite sets I had pleasure of designing and developing. The build consisted of a hero ‘sandrunner’ (a bike on sand) that played on a SPFX gimbal, which was synchronized with a Virtual Production wall. This build had me working closeley with stunts, and set dec in building out the ergonomics of the set.
Three hero bikes were built, one for each main character in the scene. Each bike featured a unique colour scheme on the wings and unique hood that was swappable on to a standardized body for ease of construction.
Three backgrounds sandrunners were also constructed for an encampment set. The background vehicles were made from photogrammetry scans of SetDec purchased snowmobiles, and then I designed pieces and additions to look the part.
BREEN ALIEN SET PIECES
Breen Cargo Bay and Bridge was a Virtual Production Wall set. Concept design and main set lead and layout was done by Mike Stanek. I was given the task of developing various set pieces including corner modules, plant-on consoles, and a throne.
Breen Throne concept design was done by Lee Fitzgerald. I carried out the construction break down of this set piece. The throne was wild for french-reverse on the Virtual Wall. the throne also featured a lot of lighting elements as well as its own plant-on console with playback.
Breen Medical Bed concept design by Mike Stanek. The bed was to be parts added to an existing medical bed. I carried out the construction breakdown and coordination with SPFX, Props, SetDec departments. This was a fun build with a lot of complexity such as a SPFX dry ice, and intricate prop insert.
