L'Observatoire International
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersEast Syracuse, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
L'Observatoire International firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- L'Observatoire International
- Legal name
- L'Observatoire International
- Website
- https://lobsintl.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
L'Observatoire International industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural Lighting Design
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (541310)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering Services (8711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Lighting Design Services (BPAHAKAJ)
Keywords
Where L'Observatoire International is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- East Syracuse
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
L'Observatoire International business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Architectural Lighting Design Services: Professional services revenue generated through lighting design consulting for architectural projects including museums, cultural institutions, hospitality venues, retail spaces, restaurants, and public installations. Services span from schematic design through construction documents and final focusing.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
L'Observatoire International product offering
Product offeringCore offering
L'Observatoire International provides architectural lighting design services from schematic design through construction completion. Offerings include concept development, detail drawings, fixture specifications, on-site focusing, and ongoing maintenance guidance. The firm also publishes educational books on lighting design methodology and occasionally co-develops lighting products with manufacturers.
Product overview
L'Observatoire International is a global architectural lighting design firm founded in 1993 by Hervé Descottes, offering comprehensive lighting design services from conception through completion. The firm provides lighting design and art direction across diverse spatial typologies including art and cultural institutions, museums, performing arts centers, educational facilities, libraries, public spaces, parks, private residences, luxury commercial properties, hotels, and restaurants. The core service offering encompasses schematic design analysis, concept development, design documentation, construction document preparation, and ongoing engagement throughout the construction process including final fixture focusing and maintenance specifications. The firm collaborates with world-renowned architects and designers and has published educational books documenting its design methodology.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Architectural Lighting Design Services
- Published Books on Lighting Design
Companies that use L'Observatoire International
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
L'Observatoire International technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
L'Observatoire International partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- Selldorf ArchitectsflagshipPart of the winning team selected for the Louvre–Nouvelle Renaissance project, working alongside Selldorf Architects, STUDIOS Architecture, and BASE Paysagiste.
- HermèsflagshipLongstanding creative partnership with Hermès for Milan Design Week installations. L'Observatoire has designed lighting for Hermès installations at Milan Design Week for six consecutive years (2021-2026), creating immersive lighting concepts for the brand's annual exhibitions.
- BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group)coreCollaborating on the Tennessee Performing Arts Center exterior landscape lighting design with BIG and OLIN.
- Penn Transformation PartnersflagshipTeam member of Penn Transformation Partners led by Halmar International and Skanska, alongside HNTB, HOK, and PAU, for the transformation of New York Pennsylvania Station.
- Color KineticscoreCollaboration with Color Kinetics for NYCxDESIGN festival lighting installation at Halo Twenty Eight, combining L'Observatoire's design expertise with Color Kinetics' lighting technology.
- Kéré ArchitecturecoreCollaborating on the Las Vegas Museum of Art (LVMA), designed by Kéré Architecture GmbH, with SOM.
- TargetticoreCo-development of Catirpel, a new lighting system for outdoor applications, designed in collaboration between L'Observatoire International and Targetti. The product won a LIT Award in the Landscape Lights/Outdoor Spotlights category.
- Frank GehryflagshipOngoing collaborations on Gehry-designed projects including Walt Disney Concert Hall, Philadelphia Museum of Art, LUMA Arles, and Eisenhower Memorial.
- Steven Holl ArchitectsflagshipLongstanding collaboration on cultural and institutional projects including Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building, Maggie's Centre Barts, University of Iowa Visual Arts Building, and Brown University Lindemann Performing Arts Center.
- Jean NouvelflagshipCollaboration on National Museum of Qatar and Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain, providing lighting design for these landmark cultural institutions.
- Roman and WilliamscoreFrequent collaboration on hospitality and restaurant projects including Locanda Verde Hudson Yards, Ace Hotel Brooklyn, and various restaurant projects.
- OLINcoreLandscape lighting collaboration on Google's Bay View Campus and Tennessee Performing Arts Center projects.
- Rockwell GroupcoreCollaboration on Seahorse restaurant at W New York Union Square and other projects.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
L'Observatoire International competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Arup (Lighting Design practice): Arup is a global engineering and design consultancy with a substantial lighting design practice serving cultural, civic, and commercial projects worldwide. It competes with L'Observatoire for flagship projects but operates at much greater scale as part of a multi-disciplinary firm, giving it broader resources and capacity.
- SmithGroup (Lighting Design practice): SmithGroup is a large integrated design firm with a dedicated lighting design practice serving higher education, healthcare, civic, and cultural projects across the US. It is comparable as a competitor for cultural and institutional lighting commissions, but at significantly larger scale as part of a broader design firm.
Direct peers
- Brandston Partnership Inc. (BPI): BPI is a New York-based architectural lighting design firm founded by Gary Steffy, with a similar boutique, project-driven model. It serves museums, cultural institutions, commercial, and hospitality clients at the premium tier, making it one of the most directly comparable firms to L'Observatoire in size, scope, and clientele.
- Lighting Design Alliance: Lighting Design Alliance is a Southern California-based architectural lighting design firm serving commercial, hospitality, civic, and cultural projects across the US and internationally. It is comparable in size and service offering to L'Observatoire and competes for similar premium-tier projects on the West Coast.
- One Lux Studio: One Lux Studio is a New York architectural lighting design firm serving cultural, commercial, hospitality, and residential clients with a boutique creative model. It competes with L'Observatoire for premium-tier projects, particularly in the New York market.
- KGM Architectural Lighting: KGM is a New Jersey-based architectural lighting design firm with a long track record in museums, memorials, civic, and cultural projects. It has comparable scale and a similar institutional/cultural client base, positioning it as a peer in the boutique premium segment.
- Tillotson Design Associates: Tillotson Design Associates is a New York architectural lighting design practice working on museums, cultural institutions, and high-end commercial projects globally. Its boutique model and cultural-institution specialty make it a closely comparable peer to L'Observatoire.
- Focus Lighting: Focus Lighting is a New York-based architectural lighting design firm serving entertainment, hospitality, museums, and branded environments. Its premium, founder-driven creative model and entertainment/luxury client base overlap directly with L'Observatoire's hospitality and cultural segments.
- Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Design: CBB Lighting Design is a New York-based boutique lighting design practice serving museums, galleries, corporate, and cultural clients. Its founder-led premium model and cultural-institution specialty make it one of the closest direct peers to L'Observatoire in the US market.
- Horton Lees Brogden Lighting Design: HLB is a long-established US architectural lighting design firm with offices on both coasts, focused on cultural, civic, education, and commercial projects. Its boutique premium model and award-winning portfolio position it as a direct peer to L'Observatoire in the same niche.
Market position
Strengths2 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
L'Observatoire International social profiles
Digital presenceL'Observatoire International financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
L'Observatoire International leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
L'Observatoire International funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
L'Observatoire International M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about L'Observatoire International
What does L'Observatoire International do?
L'Observatoire International provides architectural lighting design services from schematic design through construction completion. Offerings include concept development, detail drawings, fixture specifications, on-site focusing, and ongoing maintenance guidance. The firm also publishes educational books on lighting design methodology and occasionally co-develops lighting products with manufacturers.
Is L'Observatoire International a public or private company?
L'Observatoire International is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was L'Observatoire International founded?
L'Observatoire International was founded in 1993. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is L'Observatoire International based?
L'Observatoire International is headquartered in East Syracuse, United States, in the North America region.
How does L'Observatoire International make money?
One revenue line is on record: architectural Lighting Design Services.
Who are L'Observatoire International's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Arup (Lighting Design practice) and SmithGroup (Lighting Design practice). Direct peers are Brandston Partnership Inc. (BPI), Lighting Design Alliance, One Lux Studio, KGM Architectural Lighting, Tillotson Design Associates, Focus Lighting, Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Design and Horton Lees Brogden Lighting Design.
Does L'Observatoire International have an API?
No public API is recorded for L'Observatoire International.
What industry is L'Observatoire International in?
L'Observatoire International's product category is Architectural Lighting Design. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAJ, Lighting Design Services. Its NAICS code is 541310 and its SIC code is 8711.