Cité du Vitrail

Stained glass works are sometimes seen as inaccessible. Our challenge was therefore to spark the curiosity of as many visitors as possible while unlocking the keys to understanding this lesser-known art.

By removing the works from their original architecture and placing them at eye level, we were able to offer visitors a unique physical and intellectual appreciation of this art of light. The experience was focused on emotions and the senses, immersing visitors in the fascinating and surprising world of stained glass.

In developing our scenography, we sought to fully reveal the beauty of stained glass works. Our minimalist design blends with the heritage building, highlighting the elegance of the original works on display, as well as their distinct styles, techniques and unique histories. One of our goals was to elicit an emotional aesthetic response in a discreet, simple and atemporal manner.

The furniture was inspired by emblematic elements from a master glassmaker’s studio, such as large work surfaces, shelves and metallic structures. The design for the stained glass gallery is modular and can be adapted to facilitate circulation according to the institution’s artistic programming.

The visitor journey features light environments ranging from dark to very bright. The light sources were calibrated to bring out all the nuances and variations in the glass and coloured motifs. We successfully met this scenographic challenge, thanks to our collaboration with the lighting design firm 8’18”.

We created accessible content to appeal to a broad range of visitors. The interpretation panels may be read on several levels and are designed to offer moments of pleasure and contemplation. We opted for a monochromatic graphic design to truly showcase the iconography and colours of the stained glass works, and to harmoniously blend all the elements in the space.

We paid particular attention to the signage to facilitate the journey, which is unusual in that visitors start on the third floor and move down to the Hôtel-Dieu-le-Comte chapel on the first floor. Our artistic design reflects the bright colours of the Cité du Vitrail’s visual identity along with a black metallic finish to blend with the building.

The Cité du Vitrail is positioning itself as a centre of scientific and cultural excellence. It aims to establish a network of workshops, sites and monuments housing stained glass works throughout the Aube and Champagne regions, and in France and Europe. The GSM team is proud to have participated in this prestige heritage project, a key driver of local tourism and development.