The Urban Living Room: Place de Francfort
Deriving from an original concept by Agence ON, the talent and ingenuity of ewo’s French partners Resolum, produced a unique urban lounge lighting identity for Place de Francfort in Lyon, as the regeneration of the city’s business district continues.
Place de Francfort is a substantial hub: a connection between the station, the T3 and T4 trams, and the Rhônexpress. It also serves as a bus station, short-stay car park, waiting area and pedestrian crossing.
Initiated in 2017 and completed in 2019, numerous talented contributors enabled great designs for this square, with a specific focus on modularity, to help people feel comfortable in this busy outdoor space. The regeneration project transformed the old bus station and the parking lot into a pleasant pedestrian area - 93 trees were planted, including ginkgo biloba, gleditsia, cedar and Chinese pear and every detail of the square was reviewed.
For the lighting, ewo’s French partners Resolum had an extensive knowledge of the ewoIndividual portfolio, allowing free-flowing ideas in association with lighting designers Agence ON, with creative re-imagination of standard products, for bespoke luminaires crafted from scratch.
Tables, benches, chairs, hooks for coats and dog leads accompanied the poles, for this ewo-manufactured multifunctional family of products unique to Place de Francfort, encouraging public interaction and comfort, turning the public space into a living room for all to enjoy.
Effect lighting accompanies downward-shining street and public area illuminations, with projectors offering directional illumination based on their location.
Special casings show illuminations changing their appearance depending on viewing angle and perspective, incorporating circular serigraphic outlets for the light. Layers of micro prismatic glass, with lensless strip LED effects running underneath these features, delivering an intriguing, evolving appearance.
Lighting set the tone and atmosphere for public comfort during different periods of the night - from twilight to the deepest night. ewo’s proud ability to combine multiple distributions within each luminaire, was a huge asset here allowing total freedom of illumination design. The project perfectly demonstrates how we can active public spaces with the help of light.
ewo CEO Hannes Wohlgemuth is very proud of this project: “This project shows the Body of Light is not just a light-emitting object: The luminaire can contain other features, such as coat hooks and mirrors that are fitted onto the pole – or seating that expands from the pole. That way, the luminaire is used as an object and piece of furniture within a public space: It serves a function during the day, and at night its warm, soft light produces a feel-good effect.”
Regeneration of the wider area, Part Dieu, is set for completion in 2024.
Urban architect: « l’AUC »
Product: ewoIndividual (custom)
Lighting Designer: Agence ON
Photographer: Xavier Boymond
Completed: 2019