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.

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 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.

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.

GSM Studios worked with the Cité du Vitrail team to create a unique, human-centred experience that allows visitors to appreciate the beauty and complexity of stained glass works and to see this fascinating art in a whole new light.