

In 1993, Hervé Descottes co-founded the lighting design firm L’Observatoire International in New York City after eight years of design practice in Paris, France. Descottes personally creates the lighting concepts for all projects designed by L’Observatoire, and oversees project development through project completion.
Mr. Descottes has been recognized numerous times by the lighting design and architectural community. He has received awards from the International Association of Lighting Designers, the Illuminating Engineering Society and the New York City Illuminating Engineering Society, the American Institute of Architects, the American Society of Landscape Architects, D&ADAD, the Municipal Art Society of New York City, and the GE Corporation. In 2008, Mr. Descottes was named Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Minister of Culture.
In 2020, Hervé Descottes has received the Interior Design's Best of Year Award for Best Lighting Designer.
Team Members
New York

Hervé Descottes
Principal

Melissa Fraietta
Business Development Director

Jenny Ivansson
Project Director

Wei Jien
Project Director

Carlos Garcia
Senior Associate

Emad Hasan
Senior Associate

Leah Xandora
Senior Associate

Mint Kamolnadda Thumrongluck
Senior Associate

Carrie Chang
Associate

Billy Wong
Senior Designer

Christina Hébert
Senior Designer

Esteban Varas
Senior Designer

Jacqui Cacan
Senior Designer

Luis Carrasquillo-Alicea
Senior Designer

Papon Kasettratat
Senior Designer

Song Zhang
Senior Designer

Wen Y. Lin
Senior Designer

Akito Aiba
Designer

Daniel Reinhard
Designer

Diksha Wahi
Designer

Elisa Forlini
Designer

Gianni Franceschi
Designer

Iam Chen
Designer

Jacinda Ross
Designer

Ke Shi
Designer

Anna Muslimova
Architectural Renderer

Maren Berger
Executive Assistant

Anna Jolia
Accounts/Office Adminstrator

Elaine Greer
Business Development Coordinator
Careers
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