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City of Toulouse
The color landscape of the city of Toulouse is defined by a signature hue — pink — which has become its emblem. A fascinating alchemy of light and material, this pink embodies the tones of the age-old terracotta, the diversity of construction techniques, and the richness of a millennia-old architectural heritage. Yet, the city’s color palette is far from monochrome. It is rich and varied, evolving with each building restoration and the construction of new structures, blending materials, forms, and both traditional and contemporary colors — each reflecting the era in which they were created. Keen to celebrate this diversity and preserve a living architectural memory, the City of Toulouse entrusted Nacarat with the creation of new tools designed to honor and showcase its architectural heritage, past and present.
Expertise: Color Architecture & Landscape
Service: Colors and materials chart

The new color palette is intended for all stakeholders involved in renovation or construction projects — including building contractors, architects, urban planners, property owners, building managers, and shopkeepers.
It is presented through seven guides, each corresponding to a specific architectural typology representative of major periods in the city’s urban development.

Since every façade is unique, each guide outlines the defining features of the façades, offers period-specific recommendations, and explains how to select materials and combine colors in ways that preserve and enhance architectural character while ensuring integration with the surrounding environment.

Nacarat Color Design’s Missions:

  • Preliminary diagnostic and development of new palettes by building typology
  • Creation of a set of tools for the urban planning department, professionals, and local residents
  • Graphic design of the guides, fan decks, and educational display panels for the SDAP (Department of Architecture and Heritage)
  • Training of urban planning officers

 

Link to the Color and material guides for facades of the city of Toulouse.

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