M1 Vigie & Malley // Lausanne
Two metro stations in Lausanne now feature graphic murals by Julia Christ
Making the city their own, giving it a colourful twist in order to make it more pleasant to live in: Studio Julia Christ explores new, public territories to dress up two metro stations in Lausanne. The architect has created two monumental murals for public transport operator Transports publics de la région lausannoise (tl), which now adorn Vigie and Malley stations on the M1 line.
Providing mobility for thousands of people, public transport is a major issue for cities. Mass transit is an integral part of the daily life of city dwellers, a constant and vibrant flow common to all metropolises !
It is this movement, this urban dynamism, that Studio Julia Christ chose to interpret – with a touch of poetry. Winning tl’s invitation-based competition, the architect immersed herself in the operator’s corporate palette. Staying true to its colour scheme, she gave tl’s azure blue a subtle shading effect and combined it with a gleaming terracotta to create a wave of freshness that accompanies passengers on their daily journey. Dense and deep at the centre of the station, this ripple of colour subtly ebbs and flows through its entrances and exits, a welcome touch of lightness in our hectic lives. Each fresco is different, adapting to the structure of the respective station. Playing with the available natural light, the architect offers new perspectives in the Vigie and Malley stations.
It took six months of work, thousands of ceramic tiles and a wealth of craftsmanship to create these murals, according to the custom layout plan created by Studio Julia Christ. More than 1,600 square metres, thought out down to the last detail: while the tiles come in blue, terracotta and three shades of white, the joints – in similar shades of dark grey, white and terracotta grout – are precisely placed to reinforce the visual impact of the fresco. Each tile was individually and painstakingly laid by the craftspeople: a technical challenge brilliantly mastered by Studio Julia Christ and its various partners !
With this artistic intervention, Studio Julia Christ finds a new playing field in the heart of the city.
Art designed to sublimate everyday life !
Photos Alicia Dubuis