Herman Zimmerman Herman Fritz Zimmerman was an art director and production designer who worked between and for the " Star Trek " franchise . Excepting , he has in that era worked on all other live - action productions set in the prime universe , the first season of , the entire runs of , and , as well as six . Together with Rick Sternbach he designed the space station Deep Space 9 , with John Eaves the and the . His most recognizable work though , have been his ( co - ) designs for nearly all of the standing sets , those of the bridge , Main Engineering ( co - designed with Andrew Probert ) and Ten Forward for the in particular . As head of the Art Department , Zimmerman oversaw his own team of set designers , prop masters , set decorators and production illustrators , whereas Michael Okuda ' s separate Scenic Art Department was subordinated and answerable to his . Zimmerman ' s role on the modern prime universe " Star Trek " productions , was equivalent to that of his illustrious predecessor Matt Jefferies for . His tenure on the eighteen year run of the modern " Star Trek " franchise set in the prime universe was interrupted twice . The first time occurred at the conclusion of the first season of the " Next Generation " when William Shatner asked him to become the production designer on . Shatner had been so impressed with his work on " The Next Generation " as such , that he hired Zimmerman to upgrade the interiors for the film . Therefore , the upgraded bridge from the movie , for example , resembled the bright atmosphere portrayed in " The Next Generation " . Decades later Zimmerman later jokingly commented after seeing the film , considered so flawed by so many , " " After the show was over , I was pretty sure I would never do another ! " " ( " The Art of Star Trek " , p . 249 ; " " ) For the " Next Generation " Zimmerman asked colleague Richard James to step in . " " I asked Richard James to sub for me and he was so good at subbing for me that I just walked away from it . I did a number of other things and then came back to do DS9 and Enterprise and another five motion pictures . So that whole experience with TNG was just kind of a kick - start to my involvement with Star Trek in a real and personal way . " " , Zimmerman elaborated . . Nevertheless , it was during this first , 1989 - 1992 , hiatus that Zimmerman also worked on . The second hiatus from the franchise occurred in the period 1999 - 2001 , after " Deep Space Nine " concluded and before " Enterprise " went into production , and no position was available to him on the only " Star Trek " live - action show in production at that time , , simply " because it wasn ' t offered to me . " " Voyager " s Art Department was by that time already headed by Richard James . His work on " Star Trek " earned him four Emmy Award nominations in the category Outstanding Art Direction for a Series , coincidently all for " Deep Space Nine " episodes . But his work on that series did win him the 1997 ADG Excellence in Production Design Award . Zimmerman is the father of " Deep Space Nine " and " Enterprise " set designer Fritz Zimmerman III . Starting with the 1993 " Star Trek Earth Tour " and setting the template for these , Zimmerman conceptualized the look and oversaw the design of " Star Trek " - themed attractions , intended to immerse visitors in the " Star Trek " universe and which included the 1995 " " , as well as the 1998 " Star Trek World Tour " and " " in Las Vegas as part of the Special Entertainment Events crew . He has been interviewed for several " Star Trek " documentaries and home media special features , wrote an introduction for the 1995 reference book " The Art of Star Trek " , and co - authored the 1998 reference book " " . During the run of " Star Trek " , Zimmerman was often referenced on screen , including Zimmerman was a huge admirer of his predecessor , " Original Series " Art Director Matt Jefferies , and it was through Zimmerman ' s efforts that much of his influences were observed in modern prime - universe " Star Trek " live - action productions , which included the elevation into canon of the designation " Jefferies tube " ( even though he had to leave the actual canonization to his successor James ) . " Star Trek " archivist commented about Zimmerman , " " He has always idolized Matt and his work . And he has always tried to incorporate Matt ' s work and designs and to make sure that the theme is carried on into the new TV series and all of the features . " " ( " Designing the Final Frontier " , TOS Season 2 DVD special features ) On 27 September 2009 , Herman Zimmerman , together with fellow designers John Jefferies , Joe Jennings and Scott Chambliss , were honored for their " Star Trek " contributions in a media event called the " Star Trek Designers Talk Trek History At Art Directors Guild Event " at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood , and in which all designers discussed in - depth their work on the franchise . The event was moderated by another " Star Trek " alumnus , Daren Dochterman , with Zimmerman ' s set designer son , Fritz Zimmerman , in attendance . Three years later , in 2012 , Herman Zimmerman was again honored by the Art Directors Guild , when they awarded him the Lifetime Achievement Award . Due to illness , the award was accepted on his behalf by former " Star Trek " colleagues Mike Okuda and Doug Drexler on 2 February 2013 . Career outside " Star Trek " . Herman Zimmerman studied acting and directing at the Northwestern University in Evanston , Illinois but changed his major to Theatre Production . He worked as associate professor of drama , technical director , and scene designer at the Northwestern University prior to his move to Los Angeles . In 1965 he started to work as assistant art director for the daily soap " Days of Our Lives " , followed by occupations as set decorator on the talk show " Della " in 1969 . Between 1971 and 1989 he worked as art director on the television series " Sigmund and the Sea Monsters " ( 1973 - 1975 ) , " The Lost Saucer " ( 1975 ) , " Far Out Space Nuts " ( 1975 - 1977 ) , " Land of the Lost " ( 1974 - 1976 ) , " Tales of the Unexpected " ( 1977 ) , " The New Odd Couple " ( 1982 - 1983 ) , " Cheers " ( 1984 - 1986 , starring Kirstie Alley ) , and " Brothers " ( 1984 - 1986 , starring Hallie Todd ) . Feature film credits include the mystery thriller " The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler " ( 1971 ) , the television drama " The Girl Called Hatter Fox " ( 1977 , starring Ronny Cox ) , the drama " Deadman ' s Curve " ( 1978 , with Bruce Davison ) , the horror film " Death Moon " ( 1978 , starring Robert Foxworth ) , the war drama " A Rumor of War " ( 1980 ) , the drama " Twirl " ( 1981 ) , the television special " The Return of the Man from U . N . C . L . E . : The Fifteen Years Later Affair " ( 1983 ) , the thriller " Through Naked Eyes " ( 1983 , with David Soul ) , the television drama " Silence of the Heart " ( 1984 , with Mariette Hartley ) , and ' s thriller " Black Rain " ( 1989 ) . Prior to his involvement with " Star Trek " , Zimmerman worked as production designer on the television drama " The Burning Bed " ( 1984 ) , the comedy " Better Off Dead . . . " ( 1985 , with David Ogden Stiers and Kim Darby ) , the comedy " One Crazy Summer " ( 1986 ) , and the comedy series " The Ellen Burstyn Show " ( 1986 - 1987 ) . During his time on " Star Trek " he also worked on the family comedy " All I Want for Christmas " ( 1991 ) and the western television series " Legend " ( 1995 , with John de Lancie ) . Upon the conclusion of " Enterprise " in 2005 , Zimmerman went into retirement . " Star Trek " awards . Herman Zimmerman received the following award and nominations for his work on " Star Trek " : Emmy Award Nominations . Herman Zimmerman received the following Emmy Award nominations as " Production Designer " , all in the category Outstanding ( Individual Achievement in ) Art Direction for a Series ADG Excellence in Production Design Awards . Herman Zimmerman received the following ADG Award as " Production Designer " in the category Television Herman Zimmerman received the following ADG Award as " Production Designer " in the category Lifetime Achievement