The Brunel Awards recognise the best of design and service provision in the world of railway transport. In 2008, the SNCF picked up 4 Awards...

160 projects up before a high-flying international selection panel, chaired by Dominique Perrault, architect of the Bibliothèque de France national library in Paris. The ceremony took place in Austria, at the invitation of ÖBB, the Austrian railways operator.

4 criteria were used to select between 30 different projects. Firstly, the benefit for the customer - that's you! Next, the aesthetic qualities of the design and materials. Then obviously, sustainability of the station or train, in our green age. To cap it all, economic efficiency - the cheaper the better.

A round of applause for... the SNCF, which took a box four times, taking two Awards and two Commendations. And the winner is... the "TGV Est Européen" project, with its 21 modernised stations and 3 brand new stations. The whole achievement impressed the Brunel Awards panel.
> The multimodal interchange hub at Strasbourg station picked up an Award for its 2,000 sq m glass canopy, shining a light on multi-mode transport.
> Gare de l'Est also won an award for its glass heart, its flowing spaces and the range of services on offer, including its fashion stores.
> Gare Meuse TGV picked up a Commendation for its traditional regional architecture, featuring bell-tower-style roofing and wooden beams and logs from local forests decorating the main concourse.
> A Commendation was also awarded for the design of the "Achemine" font, specially designed to be legible for people with visual impairments. The design work was carried out by a highly skilled team of specialists (occupational therapist, ophthalmologist, typography, graphic designer) and the font was clinically-tested in a station environment by visually-impaired people. The font is now being rolled out to signposts in all the stations throughout. Another step forward for accessibility.