atelier 360 redesigns iconic mont-faron cable car by increasing visibility by 50 percent

sixty years after its creation, the iconic mont-faron cable car has been redesigned by french design company, atelier 360. the task was entrusted to the designers to implement elements of the surrounding landscape and the heritage of the city of toulon. particular attention was paid to the user’s experience by increasing the openings on the outside by 50%: extended windows, porthole on the ground, reinforced lighting inside and outside and a brand new ventilation system. 

view of the cabin overlooking mont-faron
all images © atelier 360

atelier 360 includes a clear glazed floor allowing users to experience and discover the landscape in a different way. ‘it’s a design from the inside out… the trip to the top of mont-faron offers a real sensory immersion in the landscape of toulon,’ explains patrick jouffret, founder of atelier 360. by incorporating new safety standards three times since 1959, the cabins now feature smoother and lighter lines. from the floor to the ergonomics of the control room, the entire design has been rethought while keeping in mind the codes that made the popularity of these small cabins fifties.

atelier 360 worked with SIGMA / POMA to develop these new booths

details of the glazed floor

the cabin under construction at SIGMA workshop
image © POMA/SIGMA

application of the emblematic red of toulon cabins 
image © POMA/SIGMA

interior of the cabin while in the drying process

testing the front light

view of the two cabins being finished

fixing the suspension on the roof of the cabin

the cabin’s door

installation of the new cabin in toulon with the older cabin in background

julien primard and patrick jouffret of atelier 360

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edited by: lynn chaya | designboom