Milestones matter, but it’s the memories that show what 25 years really look like. While this year marks our quarter of a century in France and Spain, it’s also a reflection of something bigger: Hyphen’s ability to continually learn, adapt and deliver excellence anywhere in the world. With international offices across nine countries, each one influenced by local culture and each one sharing the same collaborative approach. This story isn’t about the past. It’s about what’s possible and the future we’re building together.
The beginning: (Very) close collaboration
Our offices in France and Spain opened on the back of close client relationships that we already worked with in other countries, but back then it didn’t look obvious that they were a part of an international company. A small office on rue Saint-Victor in Paris – part studio, part storage unit, more cave than workspace. Four people. One phone line. Coffee-fuelled ambition.
Meanwhile in Madrid, a small team was laying the groundwork for what would become Hyphen in Spain. Our first luxury flagship in Madrid opened that year and changed everything. It was the start of our reputation in high-end retail.
The rituals: Local expertise and local taste always go together
In Paris, raclette season became non-negotiable. Every winter, the smell lingered longer than the meetings, and Rémi Pascal would always crawl under the table to assign the slices for Galette des Rois.
In Madrid, it was birthday breakfasts and mushroom foraging trips in the mountains. Cultural events, long lunches, and the kind of team-building that didn’t need buzzwords.
The turning points: Becoming an advisor to global clients
A project for a global sports brand on the Champs-Élysées changed the game in Paris — technically, professionally, and personally. It was a true inter-office team effort. The pace was relentless. The brief kept shifting. Carole Netzer’s son was born mid-project. And by the time it wrapped, she was director.
In Madrid, 2017 marked our company’s rebranding to Hyphen. A new identity, a new standard. “It wasn’t just a name,” as one colleague said. “It was us taking ourselves seriously – and proving we could deliver at the next level.” By the time we celebrated our 20th anniversary, delayed by the pandemic, in 2022, both offices had matured, not just in size, but in mindset.
The photos we still talk about
What’s changed. What hasn’t.
We’ve moved offices several times. Grown teams. Introduced structure, systems, clusters, standards. We’ve adapted. Formalised. Evolved.
But the way we work? Still recognisable. Still based on trust, instinct, and people who show up, for each other, external partners, and clients.
“We are trusted for our commitment and agility, as architects, to help manifest the client’s vision.”
Christian Dubusc, senior interior designer
Built to last. Still evolving.
25 years ago, we started with four people and big ambitions. Today, we’re still building — still learning, still growing — as part of one connected team. And while the logos may have changed, the mindset hasn’t.
A lot can change in 25 years, but our commitment to getting it done, together, remains constant. Moving from individual efforts to closely connected teams takes more than time. It’s all about trusted long-term partnerships, resilience, and a shared mindset. That’s how we’ve delivered consistently and remained advisors who can adapt and navigate evolving markets and project demands rising in complexity and scale.
Great projects are built on great partnerships. And that never goes out of style.
