CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati, in collaboration with The Blossom Avenue Partners, has been announced as the winner of the international competition for the urban and architectural design of X-Change, a major multimodal logistics hub located on the site of a former railway yard in Alessandria, Italy. The project reimagines a traditionally introverted typology, rail distribution infrastructure by integrating logistics with energy production, ecological regeneration, and public life. Conceived as one of Southern Europe's largest intermodal hubs, X-Change is set to support Alessandria's evolving role as a backport to Genoa, leveraging future fast rail freight connections.
The 187-hectare site will become a key node within Northern Italy's freight network, connecting east to west, from Genoa to Piacenza, and north to south, towards the Alps and broader European trade routes. The design introduces a 2-kilometer-long photovoltaic canopy, which will generate clean energy while offering a walkable and bikeable route across the site. This structure is expected to become one of Europe's largest photovoltaic-powered parks and a landmark for the integration of energy infrastructure within urban and logistical landscapes.
Beyond its logistics function, X-Change is envisioned as a site of urban experimentation. The master plan includes public spaces, civic and cultural amenities, and a new university extension within a repurposed Trenitalia maintenance shed. A green-blue infrastructure framework connects the site to the Tanaro River and surrounding agricultural areas, incorporating over five kilometers of cycling and pedestrian paths. The project also introduces a new public park, Parco del Movimento, designed to facilitate ecological reconnection and community engagement.
X-Change is not just a logistical hub—it's a new way of thinking about how different types of infrastructure can be integrated. Logistical hubs, like rail yards before them, are typically introverted developments. Here, we are trying to open them up to the city. By reconnecting Alessandria with its surroundings, we aim to create new spaces for innovation, experimentation, and community life. - Carlo Ratti, founding partner of CRA and curator of the Biennale Architettura 2025.
The development team includes CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati, responsible for urban planning and architecture; The Blossom Avenue Partners, leading logistics planning and land development; LAND, in charge of landscape architecture; GET Consulting, overseeing sustainability; and Mobiliter, focusing on transport and mobility. The project is being developed by Gruppo VLD/Fabrizio Bertola, in partnership with Prelios S.p.A. and CLF-Costruzioni Linee Ferroviarie S.p.A. Andreas Kipar, CEO of LAND, noted the project's ecological ambitions: "X-Change develops along a green-blue infrastructure, offering a chance for ecological reconnection and the reintegration of this historically railway-divided part of the city. Our Parco del Movimento merges nature with energy, fostering a green continuity enriched by vibrant functions and spaces."
The project continues CRA's broader exploration into energy and infrastructure transformation. Other initiatives by the studio include Water Batteries in Trieste, which repurposes an oil refinery into a renewable energy park, and Hot Heart in Helsinki, a floating archipelago of thermal batteries that store clean energy while serving as public recreational spaces. As part of his recent work, Carlo Ratti, who is also serving as the curator of the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale, has co-designed the France Pavilion for Expo 2025 Osaka alongside Coldefy, and created the Olympic and Paralympic torches for Milano Cortina 2026.
