The challenge launched by TAV Spa, project company commissioned by the Italian Railways, was to build an underground station for high speed trains in a city like Florence famous for its art: to combine high-tech infrastructure with a historic and artistic heritage. The daunting brief, taken up by some of the most renowned names on the world architectural scene, was won by the British firm Norman Foster with Over Arup.

An opportunity to see what the new station will look like is afforded by an exhibition at the Ospedale degli Innocenti (open until 1 March). Designed by Gae Aulenti, it features not only the winning project but also the ten finalists, so enabling visitors to see for themselves how the station might have looked according to Arata Isozaki and Santiago Calatrava (placed second and third respectively), Carlos Ferrater, Francesco Cellini, Foreign Office Architects, G.M.P., Gruppo Toscano, Zaha Hadid and Ricci & Spaini.

The complex, which will provide access to 7 kilometres of underground rail through Florence, will become the main city and regional interchange junction, occupying over 45 thousand square metres in the Belfiore area. Work on the new station will start in 2005 and be completed in 2009. It will cost about 240 million euro.

15.2.2003 – 1.3.2003
Nuova Stazione sotterranea dell’Alta Velocità/Alta Capacità di Firenze
Ospedale degli Innocenti, Salone Brunelleschi, Florence
https://www.tav.it