atelier 360’s funicular design provides panoramic view of the french alps
a 7-minute climb aboard the funicular allows visitors to reach the slopes at 1600 meters above sea level.
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launched in december 2019, the ‘arc-en-ciel’ funicular designed by atelier 360 and built by poma/sigma, links the village of bourg-saint-maurice to the arcs resort located in the french alps, near mont blanc. a 7-minute climb aboard the funicular allows visitors to reach the slopes at 1600 meters above sea level. each of the two trains can accommodate 270 passengers, allowing them to travel to the top of the mountain without using a car.
all images by sylvain thiollier
the design by atelier 360 is based on the original funicular created in 1989, an atypical displacement tool due to its mobile structure which is similar to that of a staircase. at the lower station, it starts horizontally and then rises between an 18 and 40% incline, covering the 3 km climb to the upper station. for its restructuring in 2019, the mayor of bourg-saint-maurice wanted something new and unique.
the new version is not just a simple transport tool, it is a real immersion experience in the landscape that can be discovered during the ascent. the original funicular did not offer a view of the outside surroundings, as its massive structure, the opaque roof and the ends reserved for the conductors prevented this. today the roof of the vehicle is fully glazed allowing passengers to observe a panorama of the mountains.
downstream exterior panoramic view
the staircase platform comes to accommodate a command post in the center of the vehicle to guarantee access for visitors to the ends offering the most beautiful point of view. different low partitions integrating the seats punctuate the rest of the platform and secure the passenger in the event of sudden braking. in order to avoid an electric air conditioning system, the interior ventilation is provided by a system of movable windows and air vents located at the ends which generate natural air flows. it only took a year between the first design and the setting on rail of the two trains of the new les arcs funicular.
fully glazed roof
upstream interior panoramic view
julien primard and patrick jouffret from atelier 360
interior staircase structure
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