L'Observatoire International
L'Observatoire International is a lighting design firm established by Hervé Descottes in 1993 in New York City. The firm works within a range of different spatial expressions including architecture, landscape, urban, and fine art projects.
L'Observatoire has become known for its innovative ways of applying light within the built environment, and does so by merging the latest technologies with an aesthetic paradigm in order to most advantageously engage and reveal the program, space, and form. The firm has collaborated with architects and designers including Steven Holl, Frank Gehry, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Jean Nouvel, Richard Meier, Peter Marino.
in NYC, with lighting design by L'Observatoire International
, with lighting design by L'Observatoire International
Recent notable works
- Le Louvre, Agence Search, Paris, France
- Le Nouvel Ardmore, Ateliers jean Nouvel, Singapore
- Faena Hotel Miami Beach, Bazmark, Miami, FL, USA
- Philharmonie de Paris, Ateliers Jean Nouvel, Paris, France
- Seamarq Hotel, Richard Meier Partners, Gengneung, South Korea
- House of Dior Seoul, Peter Marino Architects, Christian de Partzamparc, Seoul, South Korea
- Metropolitan Museum, Olin Partnership, New York NY, USA
- Aspen Museum of Art, Shigeru Ban Architects, Aspen, CO, USA
- Fondation Louis Vuitton, Gehry Partners, Paris, France
- Hotel Bayerischer Hof, Agence Jouin Manku, Munich, Germany
- Fendi Avenue Montaigne, Curiosity, Paris, France
- Vik Vinery, Smijan Radic, Millahue, Chile
- Conrad Hotel, KPF, New York, NY, USA
- Daeyang Gallery & Guesthouse, Steven Holl Architects, Seoul, Korea
- Museum of the Moving Image, Leeser Architecture, Queens, NY
- Cite de l'Ocean et du Surf, Steven Holl Architects, Biarritz, France
- Beekman Tower, Gehry Partners, LLP, New York, NY
- Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Rick Mather Architects + SMBW, Richmond, VA
- Steel Stacks Campus, Wallace Roberts & Todd, Bethlehem, PA
- Vanke Center, Steven Holl Architects, Shenzen, China
- Taikoo Place, Wong & Ouyang, Hong Kong, China
- Marc Jacobs Tokyo, Stephan Jakitsch Architects, Tokyo, Japan
- Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Gehry Partners, LLP, Abu Dhabi
- Hermes Rive Gauche, Rene Dumas, Architecture Interieure, Paris, France
- ABC Kitchen, Jan Burtz, Jim Denney, Eric Slayton, New York, NY
- Les Lalanne, Musee de Arts Decoratifs, Peter Marino Architects, Paris, France
- Lincoln Center Redevelopment: Alice Tully Hall, Diller, Scorfidio + Renfro, New York, NY
- The High Line, Field Operations, New York, NY
- The Standard Hotel, Polshek Partnership Architects, New York, NY
- Art Gallery of Ontario, Gehry Partners, LLP, Toronto, Canada
- Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant, Polshek Partnership, Brooklyn, NY
- The Pink Project: Make It Right Foundation, Graft, Founder: Brad Pitt, New Orleans, LA
- Louis Vuitton Foundation for Creation, Gehry Partners, LLP, Paris, France
- Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Gehry Partners, LLP, Las Vegas, NV
- Novartis, Gehry Partners, LLP, Basel, Switzerland
- The French Presidency of the European Union, Agence Sylvain Dubuisson, Brussels, Belgium
- Vivocity, Toyo Ito & Associates, Singapore
- Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Sylvain Dubuisson, Paris, France
- Guthrie Theater, Atelier Jean Nouvel, Minneapolis, MN
- Buffalo Bayou: Sabine to Bagby Promenade, SWA Group, Houston, TX
- Columbus Circle, Olin Partnership, New York, NY
- Bronx Museum, Architectonica, New York, NY
- Leeum Samsung Museum of Art, Atelier Jean Nouvel, OMA/Rem Koolhas, Seoul, Korea
- Walt-Disney Concert Hall, Frank O. Gehry & Associates, Los Angeles, CA
- Bellevue Arts Museum, Steven Holl Architects, Bellevue, WA
- Langston Hughes Library, Maya lin Studio, Clinton, TN
- Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Steven Holl Architects, Helsinki, Finland
- Cranbrook Institute of Science, Steven Holl Architects, Bloomfield Hills, MI
Awards
Awards
- 2016 -- Architizer Award for Fondation Louis Vuitton
- 2015 -- IES Illumination Award for The Metropolitan of Arts
- 2014 -- Global Awards for Excellence for Steel Stacks Campus
- 2014 -- Architizer Award for The High Line
- 2014 -- Lumen Award for Les Haras Strasbourg
- 2014 -- IES Illumination Award for Private Residence in Fire Island
- 2014 -- IES Illumination Award for Lafayette Grand Cafe
- 2014 -- IES Illumination Award for "Les Haras Strasbourg
- IES Illumination Award for Le Ciel de Paris
- IES Illumination Award for Conrad Hotel
- IES Illumination Award for Daeyang House and Gallery
- IES Illumination Award for Vintry Fine Wines
- IES Illumination Award for the Virgin Atlantic JFK Clubhouse
- IALD Award awarded to Cite du Surf et de L'Ocean
- GE Edison Award for Vintry Fine Wines
- Lumen Award of Merit awarded to the following projects: Cite du Surf et de L'Ocean and The High Line
- IALD Award of Special Citation for Sensitive Application of Light in a Repurposed Urban Setting for The High Line
- IES Illuminations award of Merit Awarded to the following projects: The Cosmopolitan, Hermes Rive Gauche, Cite du Surf et de L'Ocean, and The High Line
- Wan Awards Retail Interior Award for '
- Municipal Arts Society's Masterworks Award Best Restoration for the Queens Theatre in the Park
- Lumen Award of Merit for Lincoln Center Redeveloment: Alice Tully Hall and the Juilliard School and Private Residence
- World Architecture News Award in Civic Building Category for the '
- IES Illuminations award of Merit Awarded to the following projects: Newton Creek Waste Water Pollution Treatment Plant, The High Line, and Lincoln Center Redeveloment: Alice Tully Hall and the Juilliard School
- Best Redesign awarded by The Municipal Art Society of New York Awarded to the following projects: Lincoln Center Redevelopment: Alice Tully Hall and The High Line
- Commendable Achievement Exterior Lighting from Architectural Lighting Magazine’s Sixth Annual Light and Architecture Design Awards for Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant
- Chevalier des Arts et LettresKnight of Arts and Letters Award administered by the Minister of Culture and the Government of France
- Award of Merit from the American Institute of Architects for Theory World Headquarters and Retail Flagship
- Yellow Pencil Award from D&AD for Environmental Design/Installation for the Make It Right Foundation’s Pink Project with Graft as architect
- Award of Excellence from the American Society of Landscape Architects for the Buffalo Bayou: Sabine to Bagby Promenade
- General Design Award of Honor from ASLA for Columbus Circle
- Institute Honor from Collaborative Achievement in Design American Institute of Architects
- Award for Excellence in Design from the Art Commission of New York City for the exterior lighting of the P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center in Long Island City
Book Publications