uli petzold
STYLE MAKERS
lighting design Form follows function meets Romanticism. This paradoxical combination best describes Uli Petzold’s forward-thinking approach to architectural
Volume 60-10-12-3-12, a collapsible rusted-steel prototype produced by QuaDror and Flatcut, is an example of the innovation Petzold admires in Dror Benshetrit’s designs.
illumination. As proprietor and lead designer at Miami-based Uli + Friends, which plans lighting schemes for architecture, interiors and landscapes, his perfectionist-driven style is crisp, clean and bears noticeable traces of his German roots. While functional in design, Petzold’s philosophy is one of art and emotion. “We create spaces for human beings, so we must respect the humanity in lighting design,” he says. He and his team of 10 luminaires therefore find mastery in the details. “We must understand our clients’ habits, routines and moods,” he says, while still meeting their demands for excellence and aesthetic beauty. And switching features, such as motion sensors, are as critical as the lighting design itself, since they create convenience and ease. “Architectural illumination planning is one part of bringing a higher standard into design,” he says. “People don’t just see the difference—they feel it.” ulifriends.com; 786.478.3741
light hearted
uli petzold Design icon:
Ross Lovegrove. He is extremely organic. His most beautiful piece is his DNA staircase.
Architectural illumination planner Uli Petzold, of Miami-based Uli + Friends, poised inside his studio. Opposite: Petzold believes that too much artificial lighting can affect one’s productivity and physical health; a dome inside one of his projects lets in natural sunshine during the day.
portrait: claudio beier. opposite: marco glaviano. top right: erez sabag.
Current project:
We are working on a luxury high-rise property in Sunny Isles Beach called the Regalia. It’s an important project for Miami as an example of how to do things right. Dream collaboration:
Working with Dror Benshetrit. He is an industrial designer but we share the same way of thinking—whatever he is creating is done with humanity in mind. Most memorable project:
We were hired to illuminate a horse stable. Horses have a different visual range from us and get nervous when approached from their periphery. So we chose to illuminate the stable in a way that the horses were never casting shadows to their side. Every homeowner should…
Pay attention to detail. If you really want to live in a house—to raise children, entertain, cook—you must become more sensitive to the importance of lighting. It should be one of the first concerns, not an afterthought. luxe interiors
+ design
169
lighting design Form follows function meets Romanticism. This paradoxical combination best describes Uli Petzold’s forward-thinking approach to architectural
Volume 60-10-12-3-12, a collapsible rusted-steel prototype produced by QuaDror and Flatcut, is an example of the innovation Petzold admires in Dror Benshetrit’s designs.
illumination. As proprietor and lead designer at Miami-based Uli + Friends, which plans lighting schemes for architecture, interiors and landscapes, his perfectionist-driven style is crisp, clean and bears noticeable traces of his German roots. While functional in design, Petzold’s philosophy is one of art and emotion. “We create spaces for human beings, so we must respect the humanity in lighting design,” he says. He and his team of 10 luminaires therefore find mastery in the details. “We must understand our clients’ habits, routines and moods,” he says, while still meeting their demands for excellence and aesthetic beauty. And switching features, such as motion sensors, are as critical as the lighting design itself, since they create convenience and ease. “Architectural illumination planning is one part of bringing a higher standard into design,” he says. “People don’t just see the difference—they feel it.” ulifriends.com; 786.478.3741
light hearted
uli petzold Design icon:
Ross Lovegrove. He is extremely organic. His most beautiful piece is his DNA staircase.
Architectural illumination planner Uli Petzold, of Miami-based Uli + Friends, poised inside his studio. Opposite: Petzold believes that too much artificial lighting can affect one’s productivity and physical health; a dome inside one of his projects lets in natural sunshine during the day.
portrait: claudio beier. opposite: marco glaviano. top right: erez sabag.
Current project:
We are working on a luxury high-rise property in Sunny Isles Beach called the Regalia. It’s an important project for Miami as an example of how to do things right. Dream collaboration:
Working with Dror Benshetrit. He is an industrial designer but we share the same way of thinking—whatever he is creating is done with humanity in mind. Most memorable project:
We were hired to illuminate a horse stable. Horses have a different visual range from us and get nervous when approached from their periphery. So we chose to illuminate the stable in a way that the horses were never casting shadows to their side. Every homeowner should…
Pay attention to detail. If you really want to live in a house—to raise children, entertain, cook—you must become more sensitive to the importance of lighting. It should be one of the first concerns, not an afterthought. luxe interiors
+ design
169
