Umberto Bellardi Ricci
"I work with the materials of the city, ranging from stone to concrete to steel...industrial elements that can bring New York into an interior, at scale."
Umberto Bellardi Ricci is an Italian-German architect, sculptor and designer based in New York. After teaching at avant-garde institutions and collaborating with the Tezontle collective, he founded his own studio in 2019 in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
His first collection, “Dawn”, explores the dialogue between design and sculpture, blending industrial materials with refined surfaces. Over time, New York’s architectural vocabulary has become an integral part of his work, despite frequent moves to London, Paris, and Milan to follow various projects.
"I enjoy how different, very humble materials like steel, or industrial elements such as I-beams, can be elevated and celebrated in conjunction with precious materials, fabrics, and stones."
Umberto Bellardi Ricci explores the meeting point between design, sculpture, and architecture, combining industrial elements such as steel and aluminium with refined materials like glass, marble, and fabrics.
His simple, monumental forms engage with space and light, playing on the contrast between raw material and handcrafted detail: thus, works are born that transcend function, transforming space into a sensitive and harmonious experience.