Giovanna Forlano

Degree thesis in Architectural Design

"the train as a means of rediscovering the journey in the Italian landscape: historical investigation between past and present, history and design"

Thesis by Giovanna Forlano
E-mail: [email protected]
University of Rome SAPIENZA - Faculty of Architecture "L. Quaroni"
Specialized Degree Course in EU Architecture
Speaker: Prof. Leone Spita
A.A. 2013 - 2014

The train, a mobile entity, which crosses and interprets spaces and times, an ancient medium that investigates new ways of traveling by combining the old and the new in the eternal theme of travel.
My thesis research starts from the historical reconstruction of the evolution of the Italian Railways to highlight how transport by rail has changed over time and, in this regard, trace and investigate the current disused lines (by route variant) or suppressed by the railway operation.
The goal is therefore to re-enhance these tracks and through the redesign of a train (with carriages), assuming a path along the "dead tracks" to rediscover the beauty of the Italian landscape.
The train, on the basis of already existing models, wants to be a proposal or at least an attempt to define new ways of traveling and travelers but above all of living during the journey. The hypothesis is that of a slow journey; a sort of cruise on tracks that is able to combine not only technological progress with the historical memory of the train, but also the strengthening of the railway network with the recovery of abandoned or dilapidated sections. Added to this is a design work inside the rolling stock to provide housing and transport flexibility, without neglecting the services that passengers could and / or would like to use for a comfortable journey.
The design idea is therefore an alternative connection to High Speed, where the user's choice is not to travel by virtue of time but to prefer the itinerary to it. "