Rome’s Termini Station is a true icon of modern Roman architecture, serving as the city’s largest rail station and one of Europe’s major transit centers. One of the key aspects of the structure’s recent transformation was opening up the view toward the sixth century B.C. Servian Walls from the main hall, restoring visitors’ visual connection to this historical legacy.

Grandi Stazioni Retail led the renewal of this architectural icon, designed by L35 Architects, projecting Rome’s Termini Station toward the future while honoring its historical legacy.

This landmark building now merges the original 19^th-century structure with the post-war modern style. The renovation has gone beyond a simple modernization; it reconnected this huge building with the city and redefined its image, reorganizing spaces and services to meet the needs of the 21^st century.

The project has reconfigured commercial areas, rail services and circulation flows, enhancing the user experience and prioritizing the restoration and appreciation of existing architectural elements. Additionally, the station’s pathways have been strengthened, improving both user orientation and functionality.

“Rail Stations are being reimagined, evolving from places of passage to places of life,” said Caterina Memeo, Partner Architect, L35 Architects. “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 was to support this transformation while maintaining a respectful balance with its valuable historical legacy.”

An ambitious intervention that honors an icon of modern Roman architecture was the redesign and opening up of views of the Servian Walls from the grand lobby. Designed by architects Eugenio Montuori, Leo Calini and Annibale Vitellozzi, the structure features a large glass façade framing a section of the Servian Walls. Over time, the station’s commercial expansion hid this historic gem, but now, the redesign, complemented by architectural lighting, highlights the preserved archaeological remains distributed throughout the station.

L35 Architects reorganized various commercial spaces designated for rail services, bringing clarity to circulation paths. In addition to relocated ticket sales areas, the redesign relocated lounges and customer service to the central area of the station, improving visibility.

On the underground level, the intervention significantly improved spatial quality by opening spaces to allow natural light to reach the lower floor, visually connecting it to Gommata Gallery and enhancing the sense of space. With this renovation, L35 Architects have not only updated Rome Termini but also elevated its historical and architectural heritage.

The station, despite being composed of multiple buildings and commercial areas, now feels like a cohesive and unified whole. Passengers and shoppers, who previously might have sensed disorder in the station, can enjoy a seamless and harmonious experience. Roma Termini is a place where one can, of course, depart and arrive, but now also appreciate a very modern environment within a distant past still very much alive.