JCDecaux wins the City of Paris contract for columns and display flagpoles

JCDecaux S.A. (Euronext Paris: DEC), the number one outdoor advertising company worldwide, announces it has been awarded, following a tender process, an 8 years services concession contract by the City of Paris for columns and display flagpoles.

The contract covers the supply, installation, maintenance and operation of:

• 550 columns: 305 fixed light columns, 100 rotating light columns, 45 fixed light columns with a scrolling panel, 100 poster columns and
• 700 display flagpoles.

The columns will be used to advertise entertainment and cultural events while the display flagpoles will be used to promote economic, social, cultural and sports events.

All the units will be completely new, and will be deployed during the second half of 2019, replacing the existing street furniture.

A design that is in keeping with the city of Paris
An intrinsic part of the Paris urban landscape, columns and display flagpoles are an important way to promote cultural life and the wide variety of events across the capital.

All the units have been developed and designed by designers from JCDecaux's design department. A new column design will replace the two current designs (the Davioud model and the model designed by Jean-Michel Wilmotte). This new design is based upon a collaboration with an architectural historian to ensure synergy with historic column designs.  The citizens of Paris will benefit from a column that is simultaneously new and familiar – with an elegant and streamlined design that features an hexagonal canopy with corners decorated with six lion heads, the guardians of culture and freedom of expression.  The columns will be the same colour as the existing models. 

The display flagpoles have been entirely redesigned to amplify the communication of cultural events. Elegant and pared-back, with the display box changed to be on the side of the pole for greater visibility, the new poles will integrate seamlessly wherever they are located in Paris. Smoky grey in colour, they will blend in perfectly with the city’s other street furniture. As they are adapted for all types of footpath, pedestrian pathways will be improved. 

Street furniture that is evolutive, durable and environmentally friendly 
Designed to last, both the columns and display flagpoles are made of very strong materials, including steel, aluminium and glass, which are fully recyclable or re-usable.  The column dome is made from a composite of flax fibre, a bio-sourced material grown and produced in France, which ensures control over the environmental footprint. Paris is the first city worldwide to benefit from this major, ecological and sustainable innovation for the roof of its columns.

The new columns and display flagpoles are therefore compatible with the City of Paris Climate, Air and Energy Plan, with the columns offering a 25% reduction in electricity consumption compared to the existing ones. The use of LED tube lights will guarantee the best level of energy efficiency for light quality. 100% of the electricity consumption will be covered by renewable energy. Furthermore, the columns and display poles will continue to be cleaned using rain water collected by JCDecaux.

An offering that supports live entertainment and art-house cinema
With this new offer, JCDecaux is making a commitment to preserve the diversity of the representation of cultural activities by maintaining a preferential pricing policy for theatres, circuses and art-house cinemas and by keeping the same access price to the poster columns for theatres.

Jean-Charles Decaux, Chairman of the Executive Board and Co-Chief Executive Officer of JCDecaux, said: “We are delighted to have won the City of Paris contract for columns and display flagpoles, iconic street furniture that is inextricably linked to the capital. The new durable and evolutive models created by designers from our own design department pay homage to Paris’ heritage while also looking to the future. The aesthetic and timelessness that guided our approach will help to ensure their seamless integration at the different locations around the capital. We are proud to be able to contribute in this way to promoting the wealth and diversity of cultural activities and events that Paris has to offer.”