New central station in Bologna

Arata Isozaki won the international competition for designing the new central station in Bologna. The competition was announced by the city of Bologna and the Italian railway association.

First Norman Foster designed the new station in Florence and then Zaha Hadid the station in Naples and now Japanese architect Arata Isozaki is going to create the new centralstation in Bolognia. The jury chose Isozaki, who was competed together with Arup Italia from a group of 12 common architects like UN Studios, SOM, David Chipperfield, Ingenhoven and Jean Nouvel.

The old station achieved an arguable famousness when there was a bombattak in 1980, which was never really cleared.

Isozaki is already busy with some majo project in Florence. He is working on a new exit of the Florentine Uffizi. The construction works for this 7 million euro project started in spring this year.
pictures: Arata Isozaki

Now all together 35 hectare are going to be rescheduled. Of these 35 hectare, 180.000 square meters will be fort he station area, 42.000 for additional functions and 120.000 for other use.

The construction work will start next year and is supposed to last about 6 years. The Italian railway association invests 340 million Euro for this station, which will become a new crosspoint for all national, international an metrolpolitan rail traffic.

The jury under the chairmanchip of Gae Aulenti made ist desicion for Isozaki because ist great integration in the urban development of Bologna. Furthermore there is no single high rise in his concept. All buildings are supposed to have the same altitude and the underground levels are going to have a great play from light and shadow.