Rail City—Lab
BETWEEN THE TRACKS
Disused railway areas in search of a future. Bellissimo helps present them to experts and investors through images and storytelling designed to activate change.
When the topic is urban transformation, Bellissimo is always ready to get to work. And when the conversation is about Turin, the studio’s deep knowledge of the city becomes the greatest added value to bring to the table.
During Rail City—Lab, a three-day workshop held in May 2019, FS Sistemi Urbani brought together local institutions, real estate professionals, experts, and stakeholders to reflect on the future of the city’s disused railway areas. There were seven sites under discussion, each examined with the goal of identifying its potential and possible paths for development. Sistemi Urbani, a company within the FS Italiane Group, is responsible for enhancing the value of the many former railway properties now out of use, from rail yards to technical facilities.
Bellissimo entrusted renowned illustrator Matteo Pericoli to create the urban visions.
Bellissimo worked on multiple aspects of the initiative, from the “Rail City—Lab” name to its visual identity, from exhibition design to collecting booklets dedicated to the sites and distributed to participants. Each area was presented through three lenses (quality of life, connectivity, and sustainability), helping participants navigate rail yards, hubs, and corridors through data, maps, and supporting information. Future visions and possible transformation scenarios are brought into the conversation, with images taking on the role of stimulating discussion. It is one of those projects where Bellissimo had the opportunity to combine infographics and creativity, synthesis and imagination, drawing inspiration from the work on “city imaging” carried out by Torino Stratosferica.
The illustrated graphs are by architect Giuseppe Dell’Aquila.
The idea of transformation also sits at the heart of the visual concept. The entire communication system is built around the morphing technique: one word (for example, Rail) transforms into others (such as City or Lab), generating a series of irregular geometric forms during the transition — complex figures that evoke signs from the future, urban plots, or imaginary master plans. This distinctive visual language, a departure from conventional institutional communication, gave strength and character to the workshop’s setup and materials, from walls and badges to covers and editorial assets.
Rail City—Lab is a project by Sistemi Urbani developed in collaboration with the City of Turin. Urban Lab curated the workshop and oversaw its scientific and methodological coordination, while AI Studio served as urban planner. Bellissimo developed the visual communication, editorial materials, and urban visions, while also contributing to the discussion panels through its network of professionals working across the urban transformation sector.
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