Blending graphic elements and geometric forms, designer Rosie Li creates work that challenges visual capabilities and perception.
Rosie Li was born in Zhengzhou, China and emigrated to the United States at the age of three. When her fourth-grade art teacher discovered her above-average ability to render animals, Rosie was encouraged to pursue drawing and painting. This applied interest eventually led her to the Rhode Island School of Design in 2007 where she developed a sensibility toward materials and rational design.
In 2015, Rosie teamed up with engineer Philip Watkins to found Rosi Li Studio, a lighting design practice in Brooklyn.
Rosie Li Studio forgoes traditional lamp design for building systems driven by science and mathematics, constructing fixtures using modular parts with a focus on simple geometry and pared-down forms. This adaptability allows light fixtures to achieve a sculptural quality by consciously responding to their environments and seamlessly integrating into the surrounding space. Parts are fabricated in-house or culled from local vendors and meticulously assembled by hand in the studio.
“We are circling back to the period where the focus is on the handcrafted, ” Rosie says, with the public “becoming more conscious of handmade luxury. ”
Rosie has designed a number of remarkable lighting fixtures, including the Bubbly, Lina, and Elsi series. Her Stella lighting series is produced by the Brooklyn-based lighting firm Roll & Hill.