Spintank develops identity for Lyon bicycle express network

Digital French agency, Spintank, developed the brand identity for ‘les Voies Lyonnaises,’ the new itinerary for Lyon’s future express cycling routes.

The name, ”Les Voies Lyonnaises" aims to give the city's residents a distinctive name for a new amenity: a network of protected, safe bike lanes and associated features, which offer more than just an "express network."

"We wanted to find a name that avoided references to public transit (express network or lines) or a lesser, marginal place on the road. La Voie Lyonnaise, or Lyonnaise Road, conveys a sense of status and importance within the public space", says Nicolas Vanbremeersch, president of Spintank.

Les Voies Lyonnaises hearkens back to the ancient Roman roads, while suggesting the civic mission of the project. The name points deliberately towards a new mode of travel, in an era where active mobility has claimed its place within public space alongside walking, public transit and cars.

The identity builds on the idea of fluidity and aims to be easily understandable by all the city's residents. The goal is for everyone to be able to recognise, reuse and draw the design with ease. It seeks to evoke cycling and its routes, opens and freedom.

"Ultimately, we based the new identity on a strong, memorable and friendly sign that everyone can understand. It employs a vivid color palette that represents all the diversity of our relationships to travel," says Jonathan Mignot, creative director of Spintank.

The “Les Voies Lyonnaises” project is intended for everyone, and aims to offer a positive, friendly and inclusive vision of the change people need to make in mobility. The communications campaign centres around the promise ‘Togehter let’s open up new lanes,’ and three key benefits of the brand: safety, fluidity and comfort. The campaign was launched on colourful posters around the city to invite all residents to join in the project and actively participate in the future of es Voies Lyonnaises.

Yellow Window, the industrial design partner on this contract, has adapted this identity into a map and signage system that will be rolled out as work is completed on the project’s various development stages.