Julien Sebban, Studio Uchronia: A Messenger of Wonder

Julien Sebban was still in his twenties when he launched the Uchronia collective in 2019. A graduate of London’s prestigious AA School of Architecture, Uchronia began as his final-year project. The term “Uchronia” evokes a timeless space, reflecting on the fictional and the ephemeral. Freed from the burdens of the everyday, the world of Uchronia is a curvaceous haven, bathed in vibrant colours and adorned with cheerful blooms. With a team of eight architects and designers, each bringing unique expertise, the studio has captured the imaginations of clients across retail, hospitality, and private residences.

From crafting a new visual identity for Sonia Rykiel’s boutiques to designing the interiors of Parisian hotspots like the restaurant Forest at the Musée d’Art Moderne and the Japanese bistro Unagi, Uchronia has been steadily making waves. Maison&Objet took notice early on, inviting the team to create Café Uchronia for its January 2022 edition—a whimsical setting of undulating pink, orange, and purple waves punctuated by flower-shaped tables. Uchronia is equally known for its signature furniture pieces, such as the playful Cookie and Peanut coffee tables or the Sunny armchair, all handcrafted by master artisans—a testament to the studio’s commitment to quality and craftsmanship.

For the upcoming edition of Maison&Objet, Julien Sebban and his team have been tasked with imagining their 2025 vision for hospitality. Add to that this year’s theme, “Surreality”, and what awaits is a fantastical space bursting with inspiration—a bubble ready to pop!

What Are Your Most Recent Projects?

At Paris Design Week https://www.maison-objet.com/en/paris-design-week , we created an original scenography for the Hôtel de la Marine, installing a giant canopy bed in the main courtyard as a nod to its history as the royal furniture repository. We’ve just launched an accessible furniture collection with Monoprix and are continuing to develop new pieces with our artisans. On the retail side, we designed the Koibird boutique in London and Shin, a Korean café in Paris opened by chef Julien Sebbag and pastry chef Shin Eun Jung. A particularly thrilling milestone? We’ve been invited to design scenography for the next Coachella festival in April, featuring monumental sculptures.

What Does This Year’s Theme, “Surreality,” Mean to You?

The world is clearly in crisis. Like the universe we create, this theme calls for dreamlike escapism and enchantment. It aligns beautifully with hospitality, where a stay at a hotel becomes a pause in time—a fleeting, almost fictional moment.

How Did You Approach the Design for “What’s New? In Hospitality”?

We’ve reimagined a hotel within a 200m² space, making every aspect surreal—the shapes of the rooms, the use of space, even the oversized furniture, reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland. We reinvented the gym, customising Technogym equipment and yoga mats, and included spaces like a terrace, a lobby, and a smoking room. There’s even a bedroom with a bathroom where pink water could flow from the taps. Objects curated from across Maison&Objet are displayed in unexpected combinations in a library-like setting. To ensure an immersive experience, we paid special attention to olfactory and soundscapes, engaging all the senses.

What Is Your Relationship with Maison&Objet?

We adore them. This iconic institution embraced us early on. From designing a café at a previous edition to exhibiting at the Hôtel de Sully and the Hôtel de la Marine during Paris Design Week, each project has been a unique challenge and a fresh exercise in style.

Visual realized with AI © giulia_art_ai