Biennale Saint-Étienne 2025: Dressing Up Trams With Creative Flair, Peeking Into the Future
A 2025-model tram labeled "STAS" in its title
Welcome to the vibrant city of Saint-Étienne in 2025, where the 13th edition of the International Design Biennale is in full swing! A hub of creativity and innovation, the event hosts professionals, enthusiasts, and students from all corners of the globe. Key partners of the Biennale, including local subsidiary STAS, sponsor the "Tramway Named Design" competition since 2017, enticing design students to innovate and transform one of the city's latest generation trams.
Proposals for this year revolve around one central question: "How might the designer prepare for tomorrow amid the 21st century's production challenges?" Students from France, Austria, Indonesia, Belgium, Israel, and Scotland have answered this call, each imagining a stunning livery for the Saint-Étienne municipal transport network's trams inspired by the Biennale's main theme.
In addition to the national prizes, this year marks an exceptional occasion as two international prizes will be awarded. These rewards come with 4500€ grants and emphasize the competition's international dimension.
Lilou, a student at the École Supérieure d'Art Annecy Alpes, garnered the jury's attention with her eye-catching submission "Urban Heat, Perceiving the City Differently." Her vision brings the human being back to the city's very heart, envisioning it as a living organism adorned with an intricate thermal imprint, revealing hidden heat and energy networks.
A possible sequel to "Urban Heat" originated from the University of Dundee, Scotland. The winning design titled "Energy Grids, Weaving the Currents of Tomorrow" gracefully merges Saint-Étienne's industrial heritage with 21st-century resources, reinventing the tramways as a dynamic map of France's energy ecosystem.
Prepare to marvel at these innovative designs for the next few years, as they join their predecessors from the 3 previous competitions: Nicolas Mars, Thomas Dutoit's "Pixel" tram (laureates of 2022), Deborah-Lois Sery and Cécile Van Der Hager's "The Panther" (laureates 2019), and Lucas Marques Lima's "Dark Vador" (laureate 2017). These one-of-a-kind trams will remain in permanent circulation on the STAS network, allowing their creators to embark upon exciting careers as designers.
Behind the Scenes
The "Tramway Named Design" competition is a cherished component of the International Design Biennale in Saint-Étienne, organized by the Cité du design. Designers are encouraged to conjure innovative solutions for urban mobility and public spaces.
Past editions, while focusing on new tram designs, highlighted the spirit of urban innovation and public engagement. As for the 2025 theme, while it remains undisclosed, we can expect it to continue this tradition, challenging designers to reimagine tomorrow's public transport.
Key Facts
- Host: International Design Biennale Saint-Étienne, Cité du design
- Challenge: Design a tram for Saint-Étienne
- Purpose: Foster urban innovation and creative public transport solutions
- Competition: A Tramway Named Design (now in at least its 4th edition)
The "Tramway Named Design" competition, a cherished part of the International Design Biennale in Saint-Étienne, also encompasses home-and-garden elements by encouraging designers to envision innovative solutions for urban mobility and public spaces, thereby enhancing the city's lifestyle. This year's designs for the competition demonstrate a fusion of creativity, lifestyle, and advanced technology, as students from all over the world reimagine the trams as a living representation of the 21st century's energy ecosystem (home-and-garden refers to energy networks and resources).
