Prize(s) Winners in Bar and Restaurant Lighting Design
Lighting Design/Product Company L'Observatoire International
Lead Designers Hervé Descottes
Other Designer's names Pauline David, Joan Ospital, Matthieu Poncelin
Architecture Company Joseph Dirand Architecture
Client LouLou Groupe
Photo Credits Matthieu Salvaing
Other Credits Lighting Suppliers: Secante, Folio, DGA Lighting, Atea, Gau lighting
Completion Date May 6, 2025
Project Location Paris, France
Entry DescriptionLe Grand Café, set within the Grand Palais in Paris and designed by Joseph Dirand, reimagines the codes of monumental hospitality through a lighting concept rooted in intimacy and rhythm. The vast, symmetrical volumes are brought down to human scale through a landscape of table-level lighting that creates warmth without diminishing grandeur.
Each zone is individually composed: the central bar glows from within a grand archway, uplit to suggest theatricality while remaining inviting. Along its counter, soft linear lighting and pinpoint projectors maintain a sense of intimacy. In the dining rooms, a field of custom table lamps and sconces replaces traditional chandeliers, forming a constellation of warm, diffused light that highlights Dirand’s palette of green marble, oak, and velvet.
Beam angles, color temperatures, and mounting heights are precisely calibrated: 6° narrow-beam spots emulate candlelight on each table, while concealed linear sources subtly outline architectural features. No single fixture dominates; instead, light becomes a composition of warm accents and restrained glows, working in harmony with mirrors and daylight.
The result is a luminous topography that supports flow, quietude, and elegance—historic in spirit, yet fully contemporary in tone.
Sustainability ApproachInnovation lies in the radical rejection of overhead chandeliers in favor of a full DMX-controlled, low-level lighting system that redefines how monumentality can feel intimate. The use of 6° beam projectors focused precisely on tabletops recreates the warmth and falloff of candlelight, preserving the scale of the room while enhancing comfort.
The lighting system is 100% LED, optimized with advanced dimming curves and daily presets to minimize energy usage while maintaining precise control. Fixtures are low-wattage and long-life, selected for reduced maintenance and minimal waste. Table lamps are modular and repairable, supporting longevity without compromising design integrity.
Light is sculpted, not flooded—used only where needed, with careful attention to direction, reflection, and material interplay.
