Ephemera Group's immersive dining concept has relied on an AV system designed and integrated by Fosphor, with Modulo Pi’s Modulo Player media servers at its core.
Video projection, sound, and lighting come together in a reliable, automated setup capable of running continuously to support the immersive experience for thousands of guests every day.
Founded in 2022 by three entrepreneurs in their twenties from Institut Lyfe (formerly Institut Paul Bocuse), Ephemera Group's concept is to transport guests into enchanting worlds through a blend of physical sets, video projection, sound, and lighting.
In four years, Ephemera Group has opened seven immersive restaurants in Paris and across France, each offering its own sensory universe, ranging from space exploration to journeys into a volcano, a tropical jungle, enchanted forests, or underwater worlds.
Under The Sea Montpellier is the latest addition to Ephemera Group’s seven immersive restaurants. While the immersive experience relies on an overall scenography combining sets, lighting, and sound design, technology plays a key role in creating these environments.
To deploy these immersive projection systems, Ephemera relies on the expertise of Fosphor. Each site features an installation made up of around 15 to 20 Epson video projectors, audio speakers, and lighting fixtures. At the heart of the system, Modulo Pi’s Modulo Player media server handles mapping, video playback, audio management, certain lighting elements, and overall show control across all sites.
The media server makes it possible to deliver content regardless of each venue’s specific layout and theme: mapping onto vaulted ceilings at the Paris-based Jungle Palace, projection onto a massive dome at the Lille venue Magmatic, or onto large semi-transparent fabrics at Under The Sea, the latest Ephemera restaurant opened in Montpellier.
Opened on February 13, 2026, this new 750 m² venue immerses visitors in a fantastical marine world inspired by ocean depths and abyssal creatures. The seventh location proved highly anticipated, with 10,000 reservations recorded within the first 72 hours.
At the heart of the space are marine sculptures created by film set designer Henriette Raz, along with translucent sails and layered transparency effects that create an enveloping environment, enhanced by video projection. In total, four Modulo Player media servers, each equipped with four outputs, power 14 Epson EB-695 projectors.
From a technical standpoint, Fosphor’s teams photographed the marine sculptures on site from the perspective of the projectors. Designers from Studio C14 were then able to imagine and create the media content used to map and animate these scenic elements. In addition, large sculpted canvases shaped like waves help define the space and deepen the sense of immersion. In total, around 200 m² of surfaces are used.
On a daily basis, teams manage the AV system independently. Thanks to the show control features of the Modulo Player media server, a custom control panel has been created for each site, giving access to a range of commands and scenarios. Each restaurant is equipped with a touchscreen tablet hosting this interface, allowing for control of the installation.
