Hervé Descottes

Hervé Descottes is a French lighting designer, business owner and author. He established the lighting design firm L'Observatoire International in New York City in 1993^[1] after eight years of design practice in Paris, France. Descottes personally creates the lighting concepts for all projects designed by L'Observatoire International, and oversees project development through project completion. He is the author of Ultimate Lighting Design (teNeues, 2005) and co-authored Architectural Lighting, Designing with Light and Space (Princeton Architectural Press, 2011) with Cecilia E. Ramos. In 2008, Descottes was named Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Minister of Culture for his work in lighting design.^[2]

A comprehensive list of projects and awards is at the L'Observatoire International article.

Awards

• 2016 -- Architizer Award for Fondation Louis Vuitton (Paris, France)

• 2015 -- IES Illumination Award for The Metropolitan of Arts (New York, USA)

• 2014 -- Global Awards for Excellence for Steel Stacks Campus (Bethlehem, PA)
• 2014 -- Architizer Award for The High Line (New York, USA)
• 2014 -- Lumen Award for Les Haras Strasbourg (Strasbourg, France)
• 2014 -- IES Illumination Award for Private Residence in Fire Island (Fire Island, USA)
• 2014 -- IES Illumination Award for Lafayette Grand Cafe (New York, USA)
• 2014 -- IES Illumination Award for "Les Haras Strasbourg (Strasbourg, France)

• 2013 -- IALD Award for Cite du Surf et de l'Ocean (Biarritz, France)
• 2013 -- GE Edison Award for Vintry Fine Wines (New York, USA)
• 2013 -- IES Illumination Award for Daeyang Gallery and House (Seoul, Korea)
• 2013 -- IES Illumination Award for Ciel de Paris (Paris, France)
• 2013 -- IES Illumination Award for Virgin Atlantic JFK Clubhouse (New York, USA)
• 2013 -- IES Illumination Award for Conrad Hotel (New York, USA)
• 2013 -- IES Illumination Award for Vintry Fine Wines (New York, USA)

• 2012 -- Lumen Award of Merit for Cite du Surf et de l'Ocean (Biarritz, France) and The High Line: Section 2 (New York, NY),^[3] 'IALD Award' of Special Citation for Sensitive Application of Light in a Repurposed Urban Setting for The High Line (New York, NY)^[4]

• 2011 -- Wan Awards, Retail Interior Award for RDAI's Hermes Store (Paris, France);^[5] Municipal Arts Society's Masterworks Award for Best Restoration for the Queens Theatre in the Park (Queens, NY)^[6]

• 2010 -- World Architecture News Award in Civic Building Category for the New York Korea Cultural Center (New York, NY);^[7] IES Illuminations Award of Merit for Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant (New York, NY), The High Line (New York, NY), and Lincoln Center Redevelopment: Alice Tully Hall and the Juilliard School (New York, NY);^[8] Best Redesign awarded by The Municipal Art Society of New York for Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center (New York, NY);^[9] Lumen Award of Merit for the lighting design of a private residence (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)^[10]

• 2009 -- Commendable Achievement, Exterior Lighting from Architectural Lighting Magazine’s Sixth Annual Light and Architecture Design Awards for Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant (Brooklyn, NY);^[11] ASLA Design Excellence Award for Buffalo Bayou: Sabine to Bagby Promenade (Houston, TX)^[12]

• 2008—Principal Hervé Descottes was named Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Minister of Culture;^[13] Yellow Pencil Award from the British Design and Art Direction (D & AD) in the environmental/installation design category for the Pink Project (New Orleans, LA); Award of Merit from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) for Theory World Headquarters and Retail Flagship (New York, NY)

• 2006 -- General Design Award of Honor from ASLA (America Society of Landscape Architects) for Columbus Circle (New York NY)^[14]

• 2003 -- Award for Collaborative Achievement in Design from the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Award for Excellence in Design from the Art Commission of New York for the exterior lighting of P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center (Long Island City, NY)^[15]

Bibliography

1. Ultimate Lighting Design (teNeues, 2005)^[16]

1. Architectural Lighting, Designing with Light and Space co-authored with Cecilia E. Ramos (Princeton Architectural Press, 2011)^[17]

External links

• L'Observatoire International website
• December 2011 interview
• New York Daily News article about Descottes

References

1. "He turns on NYC: Lighting designer Herve Descottes' bright ideas light up the city". Daily News (New York). Retrieved 2013-09-16.
2. "France Honors Hervé Descottes and Mia Farrow". frenchculture.org. 10 June 2009. Archived from the original on 2010-07-13. Retrieved 2013-09-16.
3. "Winners: 2012 Lumen Awards". Iesnyc.org. 2012-06-21. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
4. "2012 IALD Award Winners". Iald.org. 2009-02-20. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
5. "Judges' Comments - Retail Winners". Wantoday.com. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
6. "MASterworks Awards". Mas.org. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
7. "A cultural display". Worldarchitecturenews.com. 2010-06-18. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
8. http://www.iesna.org/pdf/awards/ia/2010%20recipients.pdf
9. "MASterworks Awards". Mas.org. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
10. "Private Residence in Kuala Lumpur by L’Observatoire International". Enlighter Magazine. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
11. Seward, Aaron (2009-08-01). "2009 SIXTH ANNUAL A|L LIGHT AND ARCHITECTURE DESIGN AWARDS – Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant". Archlighting.com. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
12. "2009 Professional Awards". Asla.org. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
13. "France Honors Hervé Descottes and Mia Farrow". French Culture. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
14. "ASLA 2006 Professional Awards". Asla.org. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
15. "Art Commission - Design Awards". Nyc.gov. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
16. "Ultimate Lighting Design (Ultimate)". Hstech.org. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
17. "Architectural Lighting". Papress.com. Retrieved 2012-07-18.