Design studio Uchronia has transformed a luxury suite at London's Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park hotel into what they describe as a "weird underwater world," featuring works by prominent British artists and craftspeople. The specially designed accommodation, created for the Frieze Art Fair, showcases chairs made from extruded plastic and striking seafoam-green glass sculptures, all set within the hotel's signature celadon-green color palette developed in collaboration with color specialist Pantone.
The comprehensive suite includes a bedroom, bathroom, and lounge area, all decorated in the distinctive celadon-green shade that inspired the underwater theme. According to Uchronia founder Julien Sebban, the color choice was central to the design concept. "We've been invited by Mandarin Oriental to reinterpret their color, which is a color that they developed with Pantone," Sebban explained. "It's this celadon green from which we decided to create an underwater world, because it reminded us of those really beautiful greens that you can see under the sea."
The project specifically aimed to highlight British craftsmanship by collaborating with numerous UK-based studios and artists to create original pieces exclusively for the suite. "What we wanted to do is to highlight British crafts by working with amazing British people to create some very fun pieces," Sebban noted. Among the featured works are innovative moire fabrics by Govindia Hemphill, designed to resemble dripping water, along with custom curtains that evoke coral formations found in ocean environments.
The bedroom showcases several standout pieces, including furniture crafted from extruded plastic by designer James Shaw and a distinctive flower lamp designed by Uchronia itself. The bedspread features a unique design meant to mimic the appearance of dripping water, reinforcing the aquatic theme throughout the space. "The curtains are this idea of coral and this really fun, weird underwater world," Sebban added, describing the playful approach to the marine-inspired design.
In the lounge area, guests will find a custom desk made from resin and a specially designed bench that resembles coral structures, while the bathroom features elegant glassware created by renowned glass artist Jochen Holz. Each piece was carefully selected and designed to contribute to the cohesive underwater atmosphere while maintaining the luxury standards expected at the prestigious hotel.
Sebban emphasized the project's goal of bridging traditional hospitality excellence with contemporary design innovation. "We really wanted to show that the tradition of Mandarin Oriental can be highlighted, with the modernity that we try to bring in a very joyful way," he concluded. The suite represents a unique collaboration between established hotel luxury and cutting-edge artistic expression.
The suite design was officially unveiled earlier this week, coinciding with the opening of the London edition of the annual Frieze Art Fair. The specially decorated accommodation will remain available for hotel guests over the next two months, offering visitors an immersive artistic experience. Uchronia, which earned recognition as emerging interior designer of the year at the Dezeen Awards 2023, has recently completed other notable projects including a colorful renovation of London store Koibird and the design of a French cafe described as being "halfway between Paris and Seoul."
The Frieze London art fair runs from October 15 to 19, 2025, providing an ideal backdrop for this innovative hospitality and design collaboration that celebrates both British artistic talent and luxury accommodation.
