UBR Studio

Umberto Bellardi Ricci is a New York–based German-Italian architect, sculptor, and designer. After years of teaching at the avant-garde Architectural Association in London, followed by Cornell University in New York, he established UBR Studio in the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 2019. He launched his inaugural sculptural furniture collection with the exhibition Dawn at Matter Gallery in New York in June 2021. Bellardi Ricci’s work revolves around the interplay of functionality and form, exploring the spatial aspect of sculpture through the lens of architecture. Transitioning his medium from concrete to metal and stone after relocating to New York, his recent practice celebrates the juxtaposition of industrial elements with refined textures of stone, glass, and textiles. The New York Times feature “Lamps and Sculptures That Evoke New York City Skyscrapers” highlights the dialogue between Bellardi Ricci’s works and the Manhattan skyline, a vocabulary of forms that has become embedded in his practice. As the architect and designer of Turner Prize laureate Laure Prouvost’s residence in Hackney, London, Bellardi Ricci has since received commissions from private collectors and clients across the U.S. and internationally. His collections have been exhibited in Milan, Paris, Copenhagen, Luxembourg, Antwerp, Berlin, and New York. In addition to his ongoing collaboration with the Italian furniture company Tacchini—a Milan-based brand celebrated for its collaborations with design masters—Bellardi Ricci’s practice today spans a range of projects, from couture retail spaces in New York’s Upper East Side and London’s Mayfair, to embassy interiors in Washington, D.C., and residential commissions in Manhattan and the Hamptons. His work has been featured in Le Monde, The New York Times, Architectural Digest, Vogue, Corriere della Sera, Pin-Up Magazine, Milk Decoration, Ark Journal, and Elle Decor, among others.