Established in 1989, Andres Escobar & Associates has quickly become one of the most reputable design firms in New York, while also carving out a place in Montréal and the Middle East. In 2015, the company joined forces with the Quebec architecture firm Lemay, becoming Escobar Design by Lemay. Now, Andres Escobar and Louis T. Lemay’s team work together to offer their clients from home and abroad an expanded and integrated range of services.

Even though he is between two projects and about to jump on a plane, Andres Escobar kindly agrees to answer our questions. The talented designer, partner, and creative director at Lemay is a very busy man. Although he has been living in Montreal for several years, he spends a good portion of his time in New York. So much so that “his clients think he lives there,” he says with an air of amusement. Escobar has managed to make a name for himself on the demanding New York market, particularly through his ingenious conversion of the Gretsch Guitar Factory into condominiums in 2001. Since then, he has seen a leap in projects in the Big Apple in the commercial interior, hotel, and high-end residential design sectors. In 2012, the Escobar Design by Lemay team successfully built a very specific brand identity for the Jade Hotel, located in Greenwich Village. “We used an Art Deco style inside the hotel. The rooms have a very Parisian retro charm, but are equipped with state-of-the-art technology,” says the designer.

Jade Hotel © Adam Friedberg

More recently, the firm transformed a former commercial building on 17th Street and 9th Avenue into a luxurious townhouse. The home has five floors, and includes a cellar, a fitness room, an indoor pool, and a large parking area. Last year, Escobar Design by Lemay designed the interior of the Holiday Inn hotel in downtown Brooklyn. “We were able to respect the hotel’s strict safety standards while achieving a very glamorous design that reflects the spirit of this trendy Brooklyn neighbourhood,” says Escobar.

Internationally, Escobar Design by Lemay is continuing its expansion. The firm was hired by the royal family of Abu Dhabi to design a luxury hotel project, the H Resort in the Seychelles. “We collaborated with local architects and have been involved at all levels, from the planning of the site to the design of the hotel’s lobby, bars, restaurants, swimming pools, villas, spa, and children’s club.”

H Resort © Lemay / H Resort

Escobar Design by Lemay is also involved in many projects in Montreal (Humaniti) and Laval (Équinoxe). However, 70% of its clientele is international. This was the intended direction of the union between Escobar & Associates and Lemay. “Today, we’re able to deploy the firm abroad and work on major projects as a result of our complementarity. But we’re only halfway along our journey towards our objectives. We want to broaden our services by working on the external design of our clients’ projects in New York, as well as elsewhere in the United States and the world,” concludes Escobar. As you can see, Escobar Design by Lemay has the wind in its sails, and its journey is far from finished.

Text: Diane Stehle