Genoa subway stations get a new look with corporate help

This is part of the ‘Your Subway’ project initiated by municipal authorities in 2020

On Wednesday, 27 January, city officials from Genoa and representatives from mobile operator TIM unveiled the new look of the Brignole subway station, which from now on will bear the name Brignole-TIM. Taking a page from football stadiums, the local administration decided last year to jazz up the backbone of its public transit service – that is the Genoa Subway.

A project called ‘Your Subway’ previews letting large companies take care of the esthetic presentation and design of four of the eight stations that are located on the single line of the city metro. The idea is to give commuters a chance to enjoy an enhanced look of the stations they use daily and thus make them think of the subway not just as a utilitarian public service but as spaces imbued with their own particular character and personality – a symbol of the sustainable urban development.

From utilitarian to inspirational

The first such stop to be linked with the brand of a company was De Ferrari, which became De Ferrari-Hitachi in November last year. Now, the telephone operator TIM has stepped in to offer its vision for Brignole and the new look was officially unveiled.

“I thank TIM for choosing to support us in this project aimed at an increasingly sustainable urban mobility. The approach to our metro by such an important brand demonstrates the winning role of the public-private partnership and the attractiveness of our local public transport, which has arrived on a par with that of the great European cities,” stated the Councilor for Mobility Matteo Campora.

He added: “Thanks to this fundraising program, citizens and tourists will be able to travel on increasingly advanced, comfortable, fast and ecological vehicles. It will also allow us to upgrade the stops and improve the service also in view of the future extension of the metro in the Brin-Canepari and Brignole-Martinez sections”.

The partnership is seen as a win-win strategy for both sides, as it allows funding and expertise to flow into the local mobility system, but it also provides companies with a new way of exposure for their brands.

The next two stations which are planned to undergo this renovation are Dinegro and Sarzano, sponsored by Coop and Terna respectively.