Francesca Bastianini, LC, IES

Founding Partner, Sighte Studio

As a co-founder and principal of Sighte Studio, is committed to a practice that folds education, research, and community engagement into design. Drawing on her background in theatre and psychology, Francesca's design work is attentive to people's interaction with space, considering both an individual's well-being and their aesthetic experience. Her wide-ranging practice covers projects of all scales, from boutique retail spaces to private residential estate, to large scale academic and institutional buildings.

Originally from Caracas, Venezuela, Francesca moved to the United States to attend Smith College, where she received her BA in Theatre and Psychology. Following her undergraduate work, Francesca earned a Masters degree in psychology from Lesley University and in 2010 graduated from Parsons School of Design with an MFA in Lighting Design. She completed a thesis that focused on creating lighting solutions for underserved populations, for which she received the Richard Kelly Grant. In May, 2016 Francesca was named among the list of 40 Under 40 by Lighting magazine.

Outside of the office Francesca is the board member and Past President of the Designers Lighting Forum of New York (DLFNY), a founding member of Equity in Lighting (EIL) and an adjunct faculty member in the School of Constructed Environments at Parsons School of Design. 

Iris Ahn, LC, IALD Jr. Associate, LEED Green Associate

Project Manager, Sighte Studio

Iris’ design inspiration comes from experiencing various qualities of light through her adventures out in nature and the close association to human experience and behavior. Her passion is using lighting design as a tool to bridge the gap between the built environment and its surrounding landscape by exploring the threshold between interior and exterior spaces in its relation to human perception. With her background in urban design, Iris' design strides for bringing positive social, institutional, environmental, and economic impacts to the world. Iris brings a wide range of projects collaborating with award winning architecture firms. She also pursued her interest in sustainability by taking a role as a UNSDGs/ sustainability champion for the Americas Region during her time at Arup.

Originally from New York, Iris received her B.A. in Urban Design from New York University and M.F.A. in Lighting Design from Parsons The New School for Design in 2018. Her thesis work explores the relationship between existing street lighting conditions and perceived level of safety at Jacob Riis Houses and received Parsons Lighting Design Partners Thesis Prize. Iris is a member of IES, IALD, and certified LEED Green Associate.

When she is not practicing lighting design, Iris enjoys traveling with her rooftop tent to different parts of the world, immersing herself in nature.

Robyn Bohn

Lighting Designer, Sighte Studio

Robyn graduated from Parsons in May 2022 with an MFA in Interior and Lighting Design, and a minor in Design Studies. As a designer, she is committed to materials and processes that prioritize human and planetary health. Her interest in inclusive practices in space and lighting design education inspired her thesis work where sound and movement are foregrounded to enhance learning.

Robyn also holds a BFA in Printmaking, with a minor in Nonfiction Writing, from Washington University in St.Louis. Her professional experience includes ten years in organizational development and account direction for a Fortune 500 commercial print company, followed by an industry-leading creative-staffing firm. Passionate about the success of non-profit organizations working to make art and culture accessible, she completed the Executive Program in Arts & Culture Strategy at the University of Pennsylvania, in partnership with National Arts Strategies.

At Parsons, she worked as a research assistant for the Design Director at Healthy Materials Lab, as well as faculty in Product, Interior, and Lighting Design who are researching material health and curriculum innovation in response to the global pandemic. A highlight from this experience was supporting the Lighting Design Studio I as course assistant and tutor in 2020 and 2021. Witnessing the behind-the-scenes iteration, great care and professionalism the teaching team—including sighte studio’s founding partner, Francesca Bastianini—dedicated to the students will serve as a lasting model of how Robyn practices design and collaboration. 

BRANCH MANAGERS