Faena New York, USA

Building on the visual language first developed for the Faena Hotel in Miami, L’Observatoire International continued its collaboration with the Faena Group at Faena New York. Located in the East Tower of The XI complex—between the High Line and the Hudson River—the project explores how Alan Faena’s distinctive atmosphere can be interpreted and expressed through light in a new urban context.

From the moment guests arrive, lighting becomes the connective element bringing together architecture, art, and spatial narrative. Echoing the drama and poetry present at Faena Miami, the New York design adopts a similarly immersive approach—carefully layered and focused on creating a sense of presence and emotion.

Guests enter through a tall, cathedral-like space anchored by a large mural, revealed with concealed gallery-style wall washers. These integrated sources silhouette the sweeping stair and give the mural a sculptural, chiaroscuro depth, establishing a tone of quiet theatricality upon arrival. Here, lighting does more than illuminate—it shapes the spatial experience and introduces the project’s overarching atmosphere.

At La Boca Restaurant, the design reaches one of its strongest moments. L’Observatoire International collaborated with the late artist Alberto Garruti on one of his final works, Storms—a large-scale piece that recalls the earlier collaboration for Faena Miami’s “Living Room.” In this setting, the lighting works in dialogue with the artwork. Subtle grazers animate Jorge Lizarazo’s threaded curtains, catching reflective strands to create gentle movement and visual texture. Custom table lamps introduce a warm, intimate scale, lending a quiet residential quality that softens and balances the room.

The second floor introduces a palette of reflective reds and golds. The main bar appears to glow from within: integrated millwork lighting reveals gold-leaf details, while accent light grazes the banquettes and a mirrored artwork by Juan Gatti at the back wall. The effect creates a cohesive, luminous focal point that organizes the space.

In the adjacent Living Room, rhythm and materiality guide the lighting design. Matching decorative pendants—designed in-house by L’Observatoire International—bring a warm, tactile presence through textured glass. Indirect coves and balanced perimeter lighting regulate daylight and maintain consistency from afternoon to evening, creating a space that is both layered and calm.

Across the project, dynamic daylight-to-evening lighting scenes shift automatically to support changing atmospheres—from late-afternoon transitions to nighttime settings—ensuring the experience remains coherent at every hour. The design uses light as a tool for orientation, mood, and narrative, translating the spirit of the Faena world from Miami to New York through a vocabulary of luminance, shadow, and reflection.