The new high-speed train station in Florence, developed for the Belfiore-Macelli area, is notable for two elements: development of the project almost entirely below ground and the need to connect the facility with the nearby Santa Maria Novella train station.

Traffic on the north and south rail lines, which cross a significant portion of the city of Florence through tunnels, made underground construction a necessity. The main aspects of the high-speed train station project include:

1. the train station itself;
2. a hub for urban bus service; and
3. the Belfiore underground parking structure,

all of which were interconnected.

Excavations on this scale required the study and resolution of significant geological and hydrological issues, including development of a compensation plan for the existing aquifer, analysis of potential water penetration in the tunnels, and development of excavation strategies that permitted the removal of excavated material by rail and not by truck.