2009

André Malraux Media Library, Strasbourg

The architects’ bold vision led us to install a wide red band inside the building that runs through every floor and extends from floor to ceiling throughout all spaces, including the furniture. The wayfinding approach stemmed directly from this element, based on the simple idea of adding a new layer—that of information. This was intended to address wayfinding needs while evoking the uniqueness of the space. The architectural space serves as a backdrop for texts taken from the surrounding books and selected to align with the wayfinding concept. No signage media was created; it is the architecture itself that presents itself as a space inscribed directly onto the floor. Wrapping around the pillars and extending onto the walls, the texts punctuate the spaces, revealing the materials that make up the building. Highlighted by colored borders, the words necessary for wayfinding stand out more strongly. The sentences remain in the background, slightly softened by the partial erasure of each letter. Here, the signage articulates the references, the content of the texts themselves, and the architecture magnified as texture. Furthermore, different typographic styles reinforce the distinctiveness of each section and thus express the functions that define a media library. Finally, through a selection curated by Thibault Fourrier, the project juxtaposes texts in Alsatian with texts in foreign languages—European or specific to the populations likely to visit the media library.

Design Team — Ruedi Baur, Simon Burkart, Eva Kubinyi
Texts — Thibault Fourrier Renovation
Architects — Ibos & Vitart