Studio Unseen Light: An Architecture Design Firm
OUR PHILOSOPHY
At Studio Unseen Light, we believe that architecture is a conversation—between people, place, and possibility. We bring a simple, clear design approach to complex projects—weaving beauty and practicality into spaces that serve both function and feeling.
BLUR THE LINE BETWEEN INDOORS & OUT
From complex urban developments to intimate public gathering places, we design spaces that optimize our natural circadian rhythms by studying the full ecology of a space: the movement of light, the change of the seasons, and the environment that surrounds it.
Light is the quiet force that influences form from the very beginning. By maximizing available daylight and connection to the sky, we create nature-rich spaces that calm, guide, and encourage people to stay awhile.
ROOTED IN THE ENVIRONMENT
Not only do we want to celebrate the environment we’re building in—we want to protect it. Our projects aim for a net zero carbon footprint using sensible materials that function reliably longterm.
We work closely with engineering teams to maximize the benefits of what’s already on site, thoughtfully choosing materials that blend into the landscape and honor its surrounding communities. That way, we craft healthier environments that feel grounded, intentional, and alive.
MEANT FOR FLEXIBLE USE
Studio Unseen Light creates architecture that invites, designing spaces to support the people who move through them. By thinking through how a space could evolve as we design it, we build with maximum flexibility in mind so that the space can work not just now, but decades into the future.
AS SEEN IN
JOSEPH WELKER, AIA
Joseph Welker is the founding principal of Studio Unseen Light PLLC, an architecture design studio that uses inclusive architecture to create inviting communal spaces that blur the lines between inside and outside.
With over 25 years of experience designing and delivering complex architectural projects for clients such as Nordstrom, Smithsonian Institute, MIT, and more, Welker excels at distilling complicated problems into simple, clear solutions. His work has received industry recognition and awards for its innovation and impact.
Early inspiration came through his father’s work in photography, where he watched as form and shadow emerged from 35 mm film. This fascination with light as both subject and medium has become a through line in his work.
After graduating from Cornell University’s College of Architecture, Art and Planning, Welker began his career at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, then moved to NYC to join the team behind the 750-foot-tall Columbus Center project. It was through this project that he met James Carpenter, whose studio (JCDA) he joined in 2003 and who he continues to collaborate with today.
Joseph Welker founded Studio Unseen Light in 2019. He’s known for his ability to lead with vision while working across disciplines with environmental and structural engineers, landscape architects, and fellow designers.
Outside of practice, Welker remains hands-on: building furniture, renovating a 1929 lakeside cottage in Connecticut, and continuing to find joy in model-making and construction.