Ellie Souri – Architectural and Urban Lighting Designer / Consultant

I am an architectural and urban lighting designer based in Esslingen am Necker, Germany, with a PhD in Urban Design from Shahid Beheshti University, Iran. I have been working in the field of design since 2005 and specializing in lighting design since 2010.

My professional experience spans a wide spectrum, from comprehensive urban lighting masterplans for cities of various scales to small-scale residential and office projects. In Iran, I was a member of the Tehran Municipality Lighting Council, where I evaluated projects that shaped the city’s nighttime identity.

I also served as the scientific coordinator of three editions of the International Lighting Design Conference (ILDC). For more than a decade, I taught part-time at universities in Iran, sharing my experience in architectural and urban design with students of architecture and design. Now in Germany, I have returned to teaching, this time through independent workshops and seminars for architects and designers.

Since January 2020, I have been working in Germany, primarily with Belzner Holmes Light Design, focusing on museum, exhibition, and pavilion projects. These experiences have deepened my passion for the artistic and emotional dimensions of light.

I am a registered member of the Architektenkammer Baden-Württemberg (AKBW) and believe that lighting should enhance architecture, not overpower it. Over the years, I’ve learned that every space should be illuminated like a stage, with sensitivity to its story and to the expectations of its audience.