Paolo Ulian was born in Massa Carrara in 1961. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Carrara and later enrolled at ISIA in Florence, where he graduated in Industrial Design in 1990. He then moved to Milan, where he worked as an assistant in Enzo Mari's studio; he stayed there until 1992 before returning to Tuscany to start his own practice with his brother Giuseppe, with whom he still collaborates today.
He is known for creating objects often made through the ingenious use of industrial waste. His creations are a synthesis of design intuition, ethics, respect for materials and production processes, functionality, industrial craftsmanship, simplicity, and irony.
He has collaborated with Droog Design and several Italian companies such as Driade, Fontana Arte, Danese, Zani&Zani, Azzurra Ceramiche, Up Group, Zava Luce, Antonio Lupi, and Bufalini.
Alongside his work as a designer, he also teaches at various universities and design schools.
