While it is true that the most significant modernisation works were carried out on this part of the infrastructure, it forms part of an urban fabric which grew dramatically over the last few years of the last century. Any kind of intervention in this area therefore inevitably offers an accurate depiction of how railway modernisation affects and is inextricably linked to it.

Affori was a key project in upgrading and streamlining the rail transport system in the Milan metropolitan area, since the new station brought both the extension of line 3 from Maciachini to Comasina and the ‘Brianza’ line, which branches off at Bovisa towards Cadorna and the Passante. Affori was therefore considered an “urban gateway”, a new and critical access and interchange hub.