UB Arts Sheds New Light on Reclaimed Copper
Uriah Bueller holds a Parasoleil panel. Photo by Erica David
UB Arts, an architectural metals company in Boulder, Colorado, is adding elegance, style, and privacy to homes while bringing new life to discarded copper. Owned by Uriah Bueller, Parasoleil was unveiled to the public in 2006, converting green-certified copper panel into individual works of art for your home.
"Copper is the best material because it's flexible and curves over any structure and is maintenance free and structurally sound if supported well," says Bueller. "One percent of our building projects are dedicated to the arts for building code requirements, so the versatility of copper panels used in functional spaces are artistic and creative. We're a member of USGBC (United States Green Building Council) but our process is also energy efficient with 0% waste. It makes sense to use green products because it's the best option for the installation."
Bueller uses over 90% recycled copper purchased from specific raw supply manufacturers in the USA. He began by designing personal installations for private companies and families. Whatever it is - a piece of furniture, sculptural fountain or architectural shade out of the appropriate materials, copper, says Bueller, won't drip or rust. It is maintenance free, flexible yet structurally sound, and boasts a patina that looks better over time. His inspiration started with an installation for a family who required architectural shade. They had a wooden pergola but desired something more maintenance free with a pattern to compliment their architecture.
Parasoleil shades by UB Arts, made of reclaimed copper. Photos by Erica David
"My copper panels were perfect for that area, so after designing that project I realized a large appeal for the panels existed that included interior dropped canopies for restaurants, and privacy screens inside hotel lobbies," he explains. "We focus on Parasoleil panels using a sheet of raw copper that's appropriate for the environment and cut interesting panels from it. We don't just engrave the panels we actually remove materials. Behind it is usually natural or artificial light that throws shadows, making the panels functional and highly artistic at the same time."
One of the more interesting applications for copper is cutting it onsite to use in fountain sculptures or shutters. Architects and designers request Parasoleil panels in many applications - from surface treatments to an actual bar. According to Bueller, underneath a bar is a flat surface that is sometimes lit for an architectural effect. If a piece of copper is installed it will be opaque and the shadows will shine through, adding a touch of interest and light to the bar.
Bueller has a studio and works with distributors who have showrooms in Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Montana, Idaho, Missouri but ships his work throughout the world.
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Also in this Issue:
- Valentin Yotkov: Continuing the Master Craft of Repoussé
- UB Arts Sheds New Light on Reclaimed Copper
- Miel-Margarita Paredes Imaginatively Reinterprets Our World
- Time is the Essence: American Clock & Watch Museum
- Cast in Bronze: French Sculpture from Renaissance to Revolution on View at Met