ARCHITECTURAL FOCUS
Turin is a city of evolution, shaped as much by atmosphere as by history.
a new civic connection for the whole city, one that brings Turin’ s history and its future into direct conversation,” explains Ben van Berkel, Founder and Principal Architect at UNS.“ What is especially important is that this metro is truly public in spirit: it feels open, safe, and welcoming, with stations and entrances that extend the public realm so that, in places, the park meets the metro and infrastructure becomes part of the city’ s shared social space.”
Contemporary architecture in dialogue with heritage
Turin is a city of evolution, shaped as much by atmosphere as by history. The city’ s long porticoes, its industrial past, and its more recent shift toward culture, creativity, and gastronomy shaped the project’ s main concept: transition. Metro Line 2 very much reflects this story; it is a design principle defined by movement from one point to another and translated into a simple architectural language that moves from the arch to the portico, from the curve to the square.
The design approach also responds to Turin’ s built environment. The city is marked by its sober facades and clear geometries, while interiors often reveal a richer and more detailed spatial experience. The new metro line draws on this contrast, moving from a restrained exterior to more welcoming and distinctive interior spaces, so that traditional and contemporary architecture relate clearly to the history of the city.
Flexible modules for everyday moments
A flexible design approach was taken for Turin’ s new Metro Line 2, ensuring that it could work across various conditions along the line. With 32 stations planned in total, the initial design phase encompasses 10 stations and needs to be able to adapt without losing clarity. In response, a modular architectural language was developed that made it possible to adjust scale, proportion, and programme to the different sites – including the Mole Giardini, San Giovanni Bosco, and Carlo Alberto stations – while maintaining a consistent visual and spatial logic across the line.
To support this flexibility, UNS defined identity at three levels. The first is Network Identity, developed in close collaboration with Frigorosso and through a comprehensive brand manual. This layer translates the concept of the Urban Flow Experience into a unified language of signs, geometries, materials,
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