Inspiration through material
Matsuri, Jessica Mille, Paris, France, 2025 • © Ludovic Balay
Jessica Mille has been creating film-like worlds for three years now. Her cinematic visual style, infused with the magic of storytelling and the energy of city life, transforms each location into a unique and immersive experience.
At first glance, hospital architecture and hospitality are two separate worlds. Although their raison d’être is different, these two fields share the same etymological root and would have a lot to learn from each other. And for good reason, the former is aimed at patients and the latter at clients, but they both aim for the same formula of success, i.e. well-being.
When Jessica Mille left her speciality as an architect in hospital and medico-social environments to set up her own agency, retained the senstitivity and sensory qualities needed to sucessfully tackle the hospitality sector. Recognised for her appreciation of form, light and materials, she combines the technical attention to detail of public establishments with a touch of audacity and warmth in each of her projects. She covers a wide range of work, from private residences to offices and event venues, but specialises in fooding. Her agency’s loyal customers include the French Italian cuisine brand Gruppomimo, the coffee shops Noir and the Liberté bakery-patisserie.
IMMESERVIE STAGING
While the codes of art nouveau - organic curves, green ornamentation, refined materials, Japanese or antique spirit - feed her imagination with a retro-pop perspective, Jessica Mille makes it a point of honour to transcend the DNA behind each brand. ’I try to go beyond the brief, to propose universes that are immersive enough to create memorable experiences, without betraying their essence. It’s all about getting it right’, emphasises the architect. A balancing act that she recently illustrated during the revamping of the Matsuri restaurant, encapsulating Tokyo symbols and traditions in a decor inspired by the Shinkansen (editor’s note - local TGV) on its way to a futuristic destination.
GOOD VIBES ONLY
Another ingredient in the success of these brands is their deep connections with the neighbourhoods where the locals cultivate a strong sense of belonging. They rely on architecture to reflect this ’vibe’ in the aesthetics of each address, by emphasising the heritage of the building, the cultural legacy of a historic area or by making subtle nods to the brand identity.
For Noir Coffee Shop, Jessica Mille has already reinterpreted six spaces, each time with a different style. The next one will open on Rue des Abbesses in Paris. The architect has worked with an ornamental painter to restore the gilding and frescoes of the façade in the folkloric spirit of the Butte Montmartre, a listed heritage site. In a different vein, she has just completed her first space for the aesthetic dermatology network SkinThera, a haven of peace enveloped in milky-smooth travertine stone, in the heart of Bastille.
’IN ARCHITECTURE, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE’
Whether they are means of escape, relaxation or celebration, these spaces offer a limitless field of experimentation. This involves original nuances, an unexpected ’clash of materials’, or even a material diverted from its initial use. Jessica Mille orchestrates each project by surrounding herself with experts - mosaicists, ceramists, master glassmakers, cabinetmakers - exploring all the possibilities offered by the discipline. •
