Pioppe di Salvaro Station

The station is located along the Bologna-Pistoia railway line and serves a predominantly commuter-based catchment area. The intervention is compatible with the urban and landscape context. Situated in a residential and infrastructural area aligned with the territorial plan of the Emilia-Romagna Region, the station integrates closely with its surrounding environment, nestled between the Reno River and areas of riverine conservation and landslide risk.

The redevelopment of Pioppe di Salvaro station represents a significant step toward improving accessibility, safety, and the aesthetics of Italian railway stations. This project adheres to the landscape and environmental constraints, reimagining the station as a safe, modern transit hub that respects the history and natural beauty of its surroundings.

The current challenges – including the absence of well-defined pedestrian paths and lack of accessibility for individuals with reduced mobility – call for a design approach that not only addresses these shortcomings but also reshapes the station into a new space connecting the community and infrastructure. The station square will be reorganized to clearly separate pedestrian and vehicular flows, featuring bicycle parking spaces, covered waiting areas, and kiss-and-ride zones, promoting a more inclusive and orderly use of the station.

In the underpass, the renovation of flooring, installation of elevators, and tactile paths for visually impaired individuals will transform the area from a simple passageway into a welcoming, universally accessible space designed for all travelers.

The railway platforms will also undergo meticulous redesign, featuring anti-slip stoneware paving, high-contrast tactile paths, and new canopies to ensure passenger comfort. The main building, the Fabbricato Viaggiatori, which retains elements dating back to the late 19th century, will see a refurbishment of the waiting room and internal facilities while maintaining the upper floor for technical purposes. Adjacent to it, the Fabbricato Accessorio will house new restrooms, finally meeting passenger needs.

Sustainability is at the core of the project, adopting solutions compliant with Minimum Environmental Criteria (CAM), prioritizing energy efficiency and low-impact materials to ensure a constant dialogue between architecture, functionality, and respect for the territory.

In its renewed form, Pioppe di Salvaro emerges as an interconnected, accessible, and sustainable mobility hub – a place that brings people and the landscape closer together through architecture designed to endure and respect the environment, blending past and future in harmonious unison.