Rome’s Termini Station, inaugurated in the 19th century, has long stood as one of Europe’s premier transit centers and a landmark of modern Roman architecture. As the beating heart of urban mobility in Italy’s capital, Termini serves as a transit hub and a symbol of Italian resilience and innovation.
Rome’s Termini Station Technical Information
- Architects1-7: L35 Architects
- Location: Piazza dei Cinquecento, Rome, Italy
- Sector: Transport, Retail
- Gross Leasable Area: 18,000 m²
- Project Year: 2016 – 2022
- Photographs: © Simón García, © Nuvole
Stations are being reimagined, evolving from places of passage to places of life. Little by little, they are gradually becoming destinations where people can also come to work, shop, enjoy leisure activities, and meet. The challenge of this project has been to support this transformation while maintaining a respectful balance with its valuable historical legacy.
– L35 Architects
Rome’s Termini Station Photographs
The Context of Rome Termini Station and Its Significance
The station handles over 200 million visitors annually, connecting Rome with other major European cities and within the Italian railway network. It has witnessed expansions, transformations, and modifications throughout its existence, most notably its post-World War II modernization led by architects Eugenio Montuori, Leo Calini, and Annibale Vitellozzi. The station’s blend of historical and modern architectural elements gives it a unique position within Rome’s architectural landscape.
In 2016, the decision to renovate Termini was prompted by Grandi Stazioni Retail, the project’s client, to address its potential as a high-functioning transport hub while preserving its architectural heritage. L35 Architects, entrusted with the task, approached the project with a vision to bridge the station’s historic legacy with the demands of a 21st-century transport hub. The primary goals focused on streamlining functionality, enhancing visitor experience, and restoring visual connections to the city’s historical landmarks.
Restoration of Visual and Spatial Connectivity to the Servian Walls
One of the most remarkable aspects of the Termini renovation is the restoration of views toward the ancient Servian Walls. Rome’s oldest known city fortifications, the Servian Walls, date back to the 4th century BCE and are an architectural gem, obscured for decades due to commercial expansions within the station. L35’s vision was clear: re-establishing this historical connection by removing commercial obstructions and enhancing the spatial dialogue between ancient and modern Rome.
The renovation introduced a large glass facade in the main hall, framing a section of the Servian Walls to create a striking visual focal point. This decision was not merely aesthetic; it symbolizes the intersection of Rome’s historical past and its dynamic present, inviting visitors to reflect on the city’s layered history even in transit. This move by L35 Architects highlights the station’s unique position, fusing its functional role as a bustling transport hub with a visual invitation to explore Rome’s distant past.
Architecturally, this transparency is achieved through glass, which allows natural light to illuminate the historic wall, emphasizing its presence and reinforcing its significance. By reestablishing this connection, L35 Architects have revitalized Termini’s role as a gateway to Rome, providing not just transit but a seamless blend of ancient history and modern life for visitors and commuters alike.
Functional Reorganization for a Contemporary Urban Hub
A critical aspect of the Termini renovation was the reorganization of circulation paths and commercial spaces to meet the expectations of a modern urban hub. Termini’s original layout presented challenges in spatial coherence, especially given its evolution through multiple architectural interventions over the years. The renovation focused on clarifying pathways and relocating essential services such as ticketing and customer support to central areas, improving user orientation and accessibility.
This reconfiguration enhances flow by enabling clear sightlines across the station’s levels, particularly between the main hall, the Gommata Gallery, and the lower Forum level. L35 Architects approached this task with a clear design logic that minimized unnecessary ornamentation, focusing instead on clean, dynamic forms that contrast distinctly with the historic architecture of the station. This minimalist intervention streamlines the user experience and maintains respect for the station’s monumental character.
The commercial spaces in the Dinosaur and Gommata Gallery areas were consolidated into cohesive units, improving navigation and visual unity. Rather than competing with the architectural grandeur of Termini, the updated commercial zones adopt a simplified aesthetic. Materials like glass and metal interact harmoniously with the station’s finishes, creating a modernized yet restrained environment that respects the existing architectural fabric.
Aesthetic, Acoustic, and Lighting Enhancements for User Comfort
The renovation also aimed to enhance the station’s spatial quality, incorporating thoughtful acoustics, lighting, and materiality improvements. In the Forum, where portions of the Servian Wall are visible, L35 Architects installed metal slat ceilings that improve sound absorption, addressing the noise levels typical in busy transit hubs. This ceiling design and increased access to natural light through strategically placed voids enhance the lower level’s ambiance, visually connecting it to the Gommata Gallery above and creating a sense of openness.
Lighting plays a pivotal role in this renovation, especially in illuminating the station’s historical elements. A dedicated lighting strategy was implemented to accentuate the Servian Walls and other preserved archaeological remains distributed throughout the station. These lighting solutions reinforce spatial connections between different levels and draw attention to the unique architectural features within the station, making the historical components accessible and appreciated by daily commuters and international travelers alike.
The clarity and simplicity in L35’s design choices, especially in materials and finishes, ensure that modern additions do not overshadow Termini’s legacy. By using materials that blend seamlessly with the historic station, L35 Architects have achieved a respectful yet transformative upgrade that keeps Termini relevant in the present day while honoring its past.
Rome’s Termini Station Plans
Rome’s Termini Station Image Gallery
About L35 Architects
L35 Architects is an internationally recognized architecture, urban planning, and design firm founded in 1967. Known for their adaptive, context-sensitive approach, the firm has completed notable projects worldwide, such as the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, the reconfiguration of the Toulon seafront in France, and the El Campín cultural complex in Bogotá. Their recent renovation of Rome’s Termini Station exemplifies their commitment to uniting contemporary functionality with historical preservation, reaffirming their ethos of enhancing user experience through excellence in design and urban integration.
Notes & Additional Credits
- Lead Architects: Caterina Memeo, Javier Framis, Luisa Badía, Sonia Sanz, Rocco Grillo, Gaia Pellegrini, Mariana Alonso, Javier Cudazzo, Marta Artamendi, Pablo Escuder, Francisco Rodrigues, Marc Grané, José Luís Monzón
- Client: Grandi Stazioni Retail S.p.A.
- Coordination: Grandi Stazioni Retail – Technical Management
- Project Management: Arcadis Italia
- Executive Project: Pei Engineering – Rome
- Structural Engineering: Seico Srl – Rome
- General Contractor: S.A.L.C. S.p.A. – Milan
