We designed the La Défense parking lots customer journey through all the touch points (signage, on-screen displays, digital devices, tickets). Taking into account the context, especially the access issues for vehicles from the circular boulevard, af83 led a research work, with field observations and interviews. The thirteen parking lots have been studied from the pedestrian’s point of view as well as driver’s one.

CHALLENGES

The thirteen parking lots have different sizes and configurations (with or without pillars, silos or stories, with slopes or ramps…): the offer had to take this heterogeneity into account when installing a strong identity which will embody the brand’s values: light and transparency, professionalism, innovation, services…

Besides the improvement of the accessibility and to feel safe, it was necessary to solve the guidance, signal noise ratio and localization code issues (colors, names, landmarks).

METHODOLOGY AND OUTPUTS

The project redefined the whole visitor experience:

• We redesigned the names, numbers and color codes to give sense to territory and help users get their bearings.
• We defined the signage implantation and information hierarchy to ensure a fluid and smooth journey, going out and coming in.
• We pushed minimalism to its maximum in order to reduce the signal noise ratio, and placed the information in the environment to mark the memory, sometimes in an unconscious way.

We synthetized our work in an implantation recommendation for the signage elements (signs, totems, road paintings), both on La Défense area and on the major roads that lead to it, and are managed by another administrative instance, the DIRIF.

RESULTS

All the signage elements (signs, totems, pediments, road and wall paintings, etc.) on the roads and in the parking lots have been redesigned and formalized in graphic charters and specific techniques documents.