2004
The City of Lyon and its metropolitan area
Rather than a blanket approach based on the simple repetition and standardization of signage elements, the project is developed in successive stages, drawing on the concepts of identity and difference, and on the observation that a city’s richness also stems from its contrasts. The goal was to create a visual language that would make the city of Lyon recognizable—without, however, erasing the specific characteristics of each neighborhood or each need. A broad family of street furniture was created. It serves as the functional constant, alongside a system of pictograms and typography. On the contrary, the graphic treatments of the panel backgrounds and their materiality go beyond simple matters of wayfinding to offer a more sensory interpretation of the city. Three specific visual vocabularies were developed: tourist sites (the Vieux-Lyon and Croix-Rousse neighborhoods), green spaces (Parc des Hauteurs, Parc de Gerland, and Parc de la Tête d’Or), and economic development zones (the Lyon-Gerland Science Boulevard and the metropolitan area’s industrial zones).
Team — Ruedi Baur, Chantal Grossen, Ludovic Vallognes