Uchronia, the Generation Z cafe

Julian Sebban is a young man whose foot is firmly positioned on the accelerator. He may only be 28 years old, yet his design studio, Uchronia, is already flying high, having been launched whilst he was working on his final year project for his degree course at the Architectural Association in London. He defines the term “Uchronia” as being a timeless space, which is doubtlessly a way for this profuse designer to multiply his creativity, creating parallel spaces steeped in fantasies and dreams. His multidisciplinary team of eight create “experiences” that explore so much more than simply the architectural aspects of the restaurants and venues he designs. From artistic direction and graphics to furnishings, vibes and concepts, his collective excels in absolutely every field, right through to developing fabrics, tableware and staff uniforms.

Timeless, yet in step with the times 

On setting up home in Paris and driven by an insatiable appetite for work, Julien Sebban’s energy helped him successively secure two projects. The first was to design the seasonal restaurant Créatures, which opened on the rooftop of Galéries Lafayette in Paris in 2019. The second was in 2020 for Forest at the Museum of Modern Art in Paris, whose brutalist architecture he transformed into a post-apocalyptic refuge overflowing with vegetation. In September 2021, Uchronia launched its inaugural furnishings range, Wave, at Paris Design Week as part of the AD Interior Designers Itinerary. The exhibition was not only visited by France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron, but also by Philippe Brocard, General Manager of Maison&Objet, who was so impressed by the studio’s colourful and fanciful world he invited Uchronia to design a refreshments zone for the next edition of the trade fair.

Who needs a sponsor when you have friends?  

When the trade fair opens its doors in March, the Uchronia Cafe will be a 200 m2 celebration of the collective’s trailblazing mindset. “I loved the fact we were given totally free reign to do whatever we wanted,” exclaims Julien Sebban. “We had an absolute blast creating the space.” Built around the concept of “Who needs a sponsor when you have friends?”, the venue draws inspiration from Parisian cafes,where groups of friends gather at all times of day to chill out whilst grabbing a bite to eat. A vast bar sits under the watchful gaze of both sun and moon, nestled alongside communal tables that flaunt undulating organic silhouettes, whilst wide steps invite customers to spontaneously grab a spot to sit when aperitif time calls. Contributions from friends include the finger food menu compiled by chef Julien Sebbag, Julien Sebban’s virtual twin, whose path he first crossed when studying in London before rubbing shoulders again at the Nuances cafe in Paris when Uchronia was charged with its design. The studio’s DNA is also reflected in the artisan furnishings produced by Sebban’s loyal team, including artisan carpenter Victor de Rossi, Atelier Roma for the plasterwork, and IREALE for the upholstery. But the key ingredient that makes this pop-up installation so particularly striking is its use of recycled materials, which is “massively important to us”, explains Sebban. All the fabrics are offcuts supplied by Dedar, the carpets are either recycled or recyclable, and the furnishings, adapted from the Wave collection, are built from MDF and resin, whilst the bistro-style table legs are all upcycled. Once the trade fair is over, everything will be auctioned off on the Catawiki website, and the profits will be donated to a charity, Association Raphaël, which provides emotional support to people affected by serious illness. An upbeat, socially responsible and generous space, where visitors will be able to truly tune into the generation Z mindset.