Exhibition "Métro! Le Grand Paris en mouvement"

In 2015 and 2017, Société du Grand Paris, the public entity dedicated to the design and construction of the Grand Paris Express public transport network, initiated two design competitions of exceptional scope.

These competitions concern the "design of passenger information" and the "design of the furniture" that will adorn the network's new stations.

The requirements set out in the specifications reflect the scale of the infrastructure project: an expanding metro network of 220 km, doubling the length of the existing network, and the creation of over sixty new stations. These stations will be operational between 2024 and 2030, bringing the Grand Paris Express into a new era with four new metro lines: lines 15, 16, 17 and 18. This colossal project symbolizes the transition from a model of radial lines, linking the heart of the capital to the Paris region, to a metropolitan network extending beyond the ring road. It connects the various towns and districts of Greater Paris, encouraging the multi-centric development of the metropolis, making decentralized traffic possible.

Atelier Integral designers and Patrick Jouin iD were asked to carry out these cross-disciplinary design missions. Their expertise was integrated into the sixty architectural projects for the various stations of the Grand Paris Express. This fruitful collaboration with the project owner, Société du Grand Paris, was based on clearly defined common objectives, resulting in a highly relevant project.V

WELCOME AREA

While the entrance to the station is characterized by fluidity and ease, the forecourt and reception areas nevertheless include moments outside the flow, outside the path. In the reception area, it's important to provide these moments of calm in front of the counter, facing the map, to read the information and talk to the operator. The aim is to promote payment security and provide privacy for information. This is the first moment when architecture and design are truly linked.

Nothing should hinder the traveler or impede his progress. Passages must not be an ordeal, so they are widened because they are used by users, but also for maintenance and technical equipment. Objects "understand" humans and accompany passengers' movements. To achieve this, they are :

- welcoming ;

- ergonomic

- fluid ;

- pleasant;

- efficient, thanks to their compactness and mastery of assembly techniques.

This spirit is omnipresent, facilitating movement and transit from space to space. The contrast between spaces is deliberately attenuated, and sequences are not marked to avoid breaks in the journey.

THE PLATFORM

The platform is designed as an organized and orderly space, where the wall and façade interact harmoniously. It is both a waiting area and a destination for passengers, who need good visibility to access their train or find their way when they arrive. We wanted to accentuate this fluidity, by accompanying the boarding and alighting of the train. In order to offer a uniform and aesthetically consistent experience, the floors will be standardized in all new stations. To reinforce this uniformity while adding a visual element, a strip of light will be installed above the platform facades, reflecting the ring created by these modern infrastructures.

THE SEAT

The seat, on the other hand, originates from the platform wall, constituting the point of contact between the user and the service. This project offers the opportunity to convey a sensitive message, aimed at softening the "mechanical/industrial" character of the platform façade. The seating is made up of four modules which, when assembled in different ways, can accommodate a wide range of user morphologies and uses. The range of seating furniture will be extended to other areas and adapted to suit different uses.

FUNCTIONAL OBJECTS

Inspired by the principles of passenger signage in its colors and proportions, the call station is like a totem pole, always visible to passengers.

Among the functional objects that punctuate the route inside stations are fire extinguisher boxes. Our intention was to pay meticulous attention to every detail of the design, to ensure that these elements essential to the safety and well-being of each space are not merely utilitarian, but transform them into veritable sumbols, perennial over time.

The same attention has been paid to the waste receptacle, where its aesthetics aim to enhance, reinforce and optimize its use. The object's soft, rounded shapes give it a more personal, almost domestic dimension. The object's fluidity is also sought after for reasons of hygiene, favoring the use of smooth shapes.

FIXING POINTS AND WALL COVERS

We wanted to offer a durable, customizable solution for all stations, by developing a fastening system equipped with covers to cover and protect the fastening point. In this way, each station can customize its furniture to suit its own needs. The fasteners, installed directly in the walls or floor, can be used to attach various modules such as seats, waste receptacles and safety furniture, offering unrivalled flexibility.

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