In the heart of Paris, a vibrant architectural installation has transformed the serene Cour Jardin of the Hôtel Plaza Athénée. Titled the ‘Monumental Daybed’, this captivating design is a collaborative masterpiece by the Uchronia studio and the Dutch ceramic tile brand Palet, presenting a dreamlike tableau where craft, colour, and contemporary design converge. Open to the public until November 11, 2025, the installation serves as both a striking sculpture and a welcoming sanctuary.
The monumental form is clad in Palet tiles, which provide the essential material and conceptual foundation for Uchronia’s vision to unfold. Drawing inspiration from the Plaza Athénée’s signature palette, the Daybed features striking green and red glazes. These shades are sourced from Palet’s extensive in-house collection of over 100 colours, a library that offers over 300,000 unique possible combinations, underscoring the brand’s commitment to creative freedom and bespoke solutions.
Each ceramic tile, measuring , is glazed to order in the Netherlands, showcasing a balance between artisanal precision and digital configurability. As the autumn light shifts across the Cour Jardin, the chosen shades subtly change tone, imbuing the Daybed with a living, ever-evolving presence from morning till night. This dynamic surface is further enriched by elements from other renowned design partners, including a custom-made headboard by Treca, luxurious bed linens by Le Jacquard Français, floral curtains and cushions by Misia, and Chromatic paints from Seigneurie.
Founded in 2021 by Jaap Giesen, Gilles de Brock, and Niels Monsieurs, Palet redefines the notion of a traditional tilemaker. The small, innovative team, with backgrounds spanning design, code, and craft, masterfully fuses the power of digital configuration with the tactility of hand-finished ceramics to produce truly unique products. Their unique platform empowers designers and homeowners to realise one-of-a-kind spaces, proving that scale need not limit creativity.
The collaboration between Palet and Uchronia is a testament to a lasting creative friendship defined by colour, play, and the challenging of scale. What began with small apartment experiments in Palet’s earliest days has culminated in this monumental work, which powerfully crystalises their bond and pushes the expressive potential of ceramic tile through shared invention.
For the Palet team, the exhibition in the Cour Jardin of the Hôtel Plaza Athénée represents a significant milestone, acknowledging that Paris celebrates design on a grand scale. To see their tiles reimagined at this scale and set against one of the city’s most iconic backdrops is described by the brand as both a humbling and exhilarating experience. The Daybed stands as a bold dialogue between contemporary creativity and the timeless elegance of the Parisian palace.