UNS’s vision for Turin’s Metro Line 2 reimagines transport infrastructure as a defining urban landmark for the city. Guided by three core design principles, the winning proposal draws on Turin’s rich history to create a transit system that feels contemporary, open, and welcoming.
An international jury chaired by Dominique Perrault selected the proposal developed by UNS in collaboration with Settanta7, Mijksenaar, Frigorosso, 3BA, and WSP. Praised for treating the metro as an act of city-making, the design was recognized for strengthening the connection between mobility, public space, and the wider urban fabric. The jury also highlighted its potential to influence how people move through, work within, and experience the city through a refined and carefully considered design intended to endure over time.
Turin’s urban fabric plays a central role in shaping the consortium’s design approach. The city has long been defined by movement and flow, from the Po and Dora rivers to its 18 kilometers of continuous arcaded porticoes, which influence how people navigate the city. In this context, Line 2 is conceived as a new “urban river,” both visible and essential, linking neighborhoods, histories, and generations.
To support this concept of flow, the design is structured around three complementary pillars: branding principles, transit experience, and layered identities. Together, they frame the metro as more than infrastructure, positioning it as a form of public space that enhances wayfinding, strengthens neighborhood identity, and enriches the overall urban experience.
Ben van Berkel, Founder and Principal Architect at UNS, said, “For Turin’s Metro Line 2, our aim was to go beyond transport and create a civic connection for the entire city, one that brings its history and future into direct dialogue. Importantly, this metro is designed with a strong public spirit. It feels open, safe, and welcoming, with stations and entrances that extend the public realm, allowing, in some places, the park to meet the metro and infrastructure to become part of the city’s shared social space.”
Contemporary Architecture in Dialogue with Turin’s Urban Heritage
Turin is a city of evolution, shaped as much by atmosphere as by history. Its long porticoes, industrial past, and shift toward culture, creativity, and gastronomy shaped the project’s main concept transition. Metro Line 2 reflects this story through a design language that moves from arch to portico and from curve to square.
The design also responds to the city’s architectural contrast between sober exteriors and richer interior spaces. The metro builds on this idea, moving from restrained above-ground forms into warmer, more expressive underground environments.
Adaptive Modular Design for Everyday Urban Mobility
The design adopts a flexible and modular approach to accommodate 32 planned stations, with the first phase covering 10. This system allows scaling, proportioning, and programming to adapt to different sites while maintaining a consistent identity across the network.
To support this, UNS defined identity at three levels: Network Identity, System Identity, and Station Identity. They work together to make sure that the metro is consistent while still allowing for local differences.
The brand language draws on Turin’s landscapes and geography, translating mountains, porticoes, and water flows into a visual system. A palette shifting from warm ochres to greens and blues reflects this environment, extending across signage, digital platforms, and communication tools, including those used during construction.
UNS Reimagines the Metro as a New Urban Threshold
The stations are designed as continuous public experiences. Above ground, they establish a clear urban presence, while below ground, they become warmer, more atmospheric interiors.
Each station is conceived as a “jewel box,” turning movement through the metro into a sensory and spatial experience. The design also considers the full passenger journey, from digital planning to boarding the train, ensuring clarity and ease at every step.
Local references, durable materials, and soft lighting support orientation and comfort. Wayfinding and flooring systems connect historical memory with contemporary infrastructure.
Together, these elements create a metro environment that is intuitive, calm, and closely tied to the identity of Turin.
Turin Metro Line 2 Details
Project Name: Turin Metro Line 2
Client: Extraordinary Commissioner for the Construction of Turin Metro Line 2; Infratrasporti.To S.r.l
Location: Turin, Italy
Status: Competition Winner (1st Prize)
Sector: Rail, Infrastructure
Lead Architect: UNS
Design Team: Ben van Berkel, Marianthi Tatari, Raul Forsoni, Michele De Simone, Melinda Matuz, Saba Navabi, Leon Hansmann, Aigul Sadrtdinova, Ren Yee, Cristina Garriga, Huey Chan
Local Architect: Settanta7
Branding: Frigorosso
Wayfinding: Mijksenaar
Structure & MEP: 3BA
Sustainability, People Flow & Facade: WSP
Visualisation: Produced by HISM / © Extraordinary Commissioner Chiaia
