Melanie Freundlich Lighting Design has been providing architectural lighting design services to architects and building owners since 1997. MFLD has consulted on commercial, institutional and residential projects ranging from schools, museums, and libraries to religious buildings and corporate office spaces of all sizes.
MFLD is committed to developing unique and cohesive lighting designs that reinforce the architectural and environmental design while meeting high standards of end-user criteria, visual comfort, and responsible energy use. Services are available through all phases of a project and include interior and exterior building illumination, landscape lighting, floodlighting, utilitarian and decorative fixture design and specifications, lighting control systems design and specifications, theatrical and entertainment lighting and electric lighting calculations.
The strength in our work is a result of the intense personal approach we take to lighting. We spend as much time as necessary listening to our clients describe what they want to see and what they do not. We ask them to describe how they want the lighting to support their use of each space. We help them to see how the flow of light can affect their environment. This attention to client program and user criteria shapes our design sensibility and we return to it continually over all phases of a job.
MFLD is a New York State Certified Woman-Owned Business Enterprise, and a certified New York City Small Business Services Woman-Owned Enterprise (M/WBE).
Melanie Freundlich
Melanie has been involved in architectural lighting design for over 30 years, and founded Melanie Freundlich Lighting Design in 1997. Her lighting designs range from academic and institutional facilities to galleries, museums and residences. She has received awards for her designs including Duane Library Visitor’s Center, Fordham University, St. Hilda’s & St. Hugh’s School and St. Patrick’s Rectory.
Melanie was a designer and project manager in a full range of lighting projects as a Project Manager with Fisher Marantz Renfro Stone from 1987-1997 including The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, The Chicago Title Building and The Phoenix Art Museum. Previous to that Melanie was a theater consultant to architectural clients with Artec Consultants Inc., New York, New York and a theatrical lighting designer in Boston, Massachusetts where she designed and project managed a performing arts space known as the Dinosaur Space. Her work has been published in Architectural Record Lighting, Interior Design, and The New York Times Magazine.
Melanie holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Architectural Lighting Design from Parsons the New School for Design and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater Production and Design from Wesleyan University.
Melanie is a member of the International Association of Lighting Designers and the Illumination Engineering Society of North America.
Michael Peace, Senior Designer
Michael joined MFLD in 2015 bringing with her over 10 years of architectural lighting design experience ranging from classical landmarks and interactive multimedia museums to large scale residential and educational facilities.
Michael developed her fundamental approach to lighting design through project management and design development as a senior designer with Renfro Lighting Design and Schwinghammer Lighting. Michael is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University where she received a Bachelor of Architectural Engineering.
Riddhi Doshi, Designer
Riddhi joined MFLD bringing over four years of professional experience as an interior designer, with a background spanning hospitality, residential, and commercial projects at an architecture firm in India. Through her work in overall design, project management, and the specification of materials and equipment, Riddhi developed a strong interest in architectural lighting and its role in shaping space and experience.
Riddhi recently completed her Master of Professional Studies in Lighting Design at the New York School of Interior Design and holds a bachelor’s degree in interior design from Pune University, India. She was awarded an Honorable Mention by the IESNY for her entry in the fixture design competition.