Toyota Paris exhibit on the Champs-Élysées
In its flagship location Le Rendez-Vous Toyota on the Champs-Élysées, Paris, Toyota wanted to create an exhibition that 'brings the Toyota quality story to life'. The exhibition space is upstairs so there is a prominent graphic on the stairs to lead the audience up there. The stair graphic reflects both the Toyota corporate style and the exhibition aim. View from the top of the stairs showing the installed stair graphic. The graphic incorporates bespoke very high-res photography of Toyota car parts to show their build quality.
Stair graphic: Beyond leading the audience upstairs, the graphic aims to showcase the Toyota quality story by displaying photographs of very large 'hyper-real' car parts and the people who make them. Appropriate car parts were obtained from Toyota for very high-res studio photography to take place. Toyota empowers its employees, to take pride in their work and output. One of the ways it does this is by use of an 'Andon cord' strung throughout their production line. The Andon cord can be pulled by any assembly technician any time they find a fault. Pulling the cord causes the whole assembly line to stop while the problem is analysed and rectified. The idea is if you can solve a problem at its source, that lifts the overall quality of the lines' output. The Andon cord is used repeatedly throughout the exhibit. It is one of Toyota's unique-selling-points. The swoosh is an appropriate element here because its overall shape fits the stairs, but its graphic dynamism is important for drawing the audience onward and upward.
Window Graphic: The window graphic went through various iterations. The final was much more understated than earlier versions. It evokes the Toyota assembly line, shows skilled people at work, and references the Toyota factory Andon cord. (see 'stair graphic' for an explanation of the Andon cord) It also remains transparent so that the lightness of the glazed mezzanine is preserved.
Interactives: graphics for the various interactives were done. Due to the location of Le Rendez-Vous Toyota on the Champs-Élysées, all text is displayed in French and English
Directional Signage: Although it is not really required, the exhibit does have a narrative or a direction based on the flow of the production line. To make the flow more obvious for visitors, floor graphics were conceived.