The figure combines constructive and technological requirements with compositional values in a coherent way. The particular design of the pylons and the continuous metal ribbon of the monorail fit harmoniously into the landscape, using two separate materials. The 125 fair-face reinforced concrete pylons, a sculptural element with a height varying from 5.2 to 18 meters, open like chalices, echoing the arches of the city’s porticos.
The white painted steel of the ribbon also has a sculptural form, a sort of asymmetrical architectural container that displays its modular structural skeleton inside the facing of drawn sheet metal that produces an effect of transparency. While the expanded sheet metal rises vertically to reach the level of the trains, corresponding to the height of the central beam, on the opposite side the structure, before rising, extends outward to contain the continuous grille of the walkway providing a security platform along the entire trajectory, while incorporating – as constructive elements that are part of the design, not ‘added’ – a series of solar panels that produce 35% of the energy required for the functioning of the people mover.
This autonomous energy production generates a positive environmental impact equal to 300 fewer tons of CO2 and 14,000 more trees. The suspended ribbon designed by Iosa Ghini Associati forms a harmonious line with a curves dictated by the route and the optimization of solar radiation, which also underscore the sculptural and compositional value, and the careful landscape insertion. Between the two terminals a midway station is planned.