Author Information:

HERVE DESCOTTES was born and raised in Dijon, France. It is in this country that he began his professional career as a lighting designer working on projects such as the renovation of the Richelieu wing of the Louvre and the lighting of the custom case for the Mona Lisa. In 1993 Descottes moved to New York City where he established the lighting design and consulting firm L'Observatoire International. Descotte's vision was to found a lighting design office whose team was comprised of an international cadre of lighting designers culled from a variety of disciplines. Formally trained lighting designers, architects, interior designers, engineers, and artists were brought together to pursue the common aim of lighting the built environment.Through his work as a lighting designer Descottes is continually inspired by his collaborations with many great architects of our time including but not limited to Frank Gehry, Steven Holl, Richard Meier, and Jean Nouvel. The professional opportunities that arise from these relationships and collaborations permit Descottes the opportunity to travel all over the world not as a tourist, but as professional that immerses himself in a multitude of cultures. His travels are a constant source of artistic inspiration that drives much of his aesthetic exploration and conceptual work. Descottes has been the recipient of many prestigious awards including an Award of Merit from the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Award for Collaborative Achievement in Design (AIA) and being named Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Minister of Culture (2008). CECILIA RAMOS was born and raised in Concord, MA, daughter of Spanish parents. From an early age annual trips to Spain to visit relatives inspired an appreciation for Spain's rich art and architectural history. Cecilia majored in architectural design at MIT and Princeton but also simultaneously pursued studies in art history. Of note was her involvement in Princeton's Program in Hellenic Studies with whom she attended several lengthy workshops at the Prodromos Monastery in Serres, Greece dedicated to the study the Byzantine architecture in the context of a functioning monastery. This work led to her recent involvement in the creation of a video piece for the museum exhibition Architecture as Icon: Representations of architecture in Byzantine art exhibited both at the Byzantine Museum of Thessalonki (2009) and the Princeton University Art Museum (2010). Cecilia lives in Brooklyn, NY, where she designs and is a frequent collaborator with L'Observatoire International.