T4 Tram Line

Infrastructure + landscape architecture

Lyon, France

The T4 tram line links up Vénissieux and Feyzin with the south of Lyon, via the Part-Dieu. Vegetation is central to its character.

Green line

The T4 line rolls out a strip of grass across the city. After the boulevards, it passes into a minor mode, and the predominance of vegetation provides a breath of life, accompanying the different identities of the areas it crosses. From the periphery to the centre, it combines an efficient mode of transport with the development of urban nature in a rediscovery of vegetation and a novel way of dividing up space.

Urban transformation

Politically, the symbol is strong. The T4 line links up outlying districts with the universities and the city centre. But the construction of the line also raised important planning issues.

The urban fabric is shaped by the tram line. With this new axis of vegetation, neighbourhoods and activities have been rethought. The project brings together all the urban functions that are central to eco-mobility – cycle paths, footpaths, ergonomic roadways – whereas the public spaces and newly-created squares play a major role as spatial landmarks that allow local people to identify with their neighbourhood and contribute to urban life.

Design Team: Ilex Landscape Architecture

Length: 10 kilometres

Client: Sytral

Project style: Urban design, infrastructure

Sourced from: Ilex Landscape Architecture