the history of gio ponti's arlecchino train, home of prada frames at milan design week

Prada Frames 2025 takes place aboard legendary Arlecchino train

During Milan Design Week 2025, Formafantasma presented the fourth edition of the Prada Frames symposium, bringing together voices from across disciplines to explore the intersection of mobility, design, and the environment under the title In Transit. Reflecting the theme in content and context, the Milan-based design duo chose an unconventional stage for part of the talks: the Arlecchino Train — a mid-century electric train originally conceived by Gio Ponti and Giulio Minoletti in the 1950s.

With an exterior shaped by naval aerodynamics and interiors adorned with glass partitions, reclining armchairs, and panoramic lounges, the ‘Harlequin’ train has been meticulously restored by Fondazione FS Italiane. The Arlecchino has been reintroduced not only as a venue for the symposium, but also as an operational part of Italy’s rail network, maintaining its original 1950s design features. Read on to uncover the story behind this colorful icon’s return to the tracks. 

the Arlecchino Train | image courtesy of Fondazione FS Italiane

gio ponti’s vision for rail: a ‘total design’ approach

Architect and multidisciplinary designer Gio Ponti brought his architectural sensibility to every aspect of the Arlecchino. In partnership with Giulio Minoletti, the Italian visionary conceived the train as a form of mobile interior architecture, designing its carriages with the same intent and precision as a domestic or exhibition space. At the heart of this vision were the panoramic lounges at either end, encased in wraparound glass, transforming the journey into a cinematic experience. Above them, the elevated and recessed driver’s cab preserved the view and reinforced the train’s sculptural profile. Inside, Ponti’s approach balanced spatial clarity with expressive detail. Reclining seats in vivid velvet, translucent glass partitions, and a refined bar area reflected a postwar optimism. The train’s name, Arlecchino, was a direct nod to its vibrant color palette and theatrical presence.

the exterior is shaped by naval aerodynamics | image courtesy of Fondazione FS Italiane

from settebello to arlecchino

The ETR.250 Arlecchino was a streamlined evolution of the ETR.300 Settebello, also designed by Ponti and Minoletti. Built in 1960 by engineer Ernesto Breda, the Arlecchino maintained the same language of aerodynamic curves and refined interiors but condensed the format to four carriages rather than seven, making it more agile and economical to operate. Its inaugural journey—during the Rome Olympics—was from Bologna to Venice, reaching speeds of 187 km/h, a remarkable feat at the time. Ponti’s aesthetic innovations did not compromise performance; the design was as technically ambitious as it was visually striking.

the Arlecchino at Milan’s Central Station | image © designboom

preservation and restoration by fondazione fs italiane

After their introduction in the 1960s, four Arlecchino units were in transit. By the late 1990s, all but one of them had been dismantled. In 2013, Fondazione FS Italiane recovered the last surviving example, ETR.252, and began a decade-long restoration. The work was not just mechanical but deeply design-sensitive, aiming to preserve Ponti’s original vision while integrating modern safety systems. The interiors were rebuilt, with the original seating layout and upholstery patterns replicated using updated materials. The panoramic lounges, bar carriage, and color schemes were all restored with fidelity to the 1960 design, while hidden upgrades such as air conditioning, new lighting, and the Train Control System (SCMT) brought the train up to contemporary operational standards.

Even the structural restoration involved lifting the carriages, rewiring electrical systems, and restoring the supporting frame before reassembling the train with its original spatial logic.

the train was originally conceived by Gio Ponti and Giulio Minoletti in the 1950s | image © designboom

a design object in motion, and architecture in transit

Though no longer classified as a high-speed train, the Arlecchino continues to move—both literally and culturally. Its return to Italy’s rail network marks a rare case where a mid-century design object is not confined to the archive or museum, but reintroduced into public circulation.

By staging part of the Prada Frames symposium aboard the train, Formafantasma emphasized a broader idea: that mobility itself can be architectural. As much as the Arlecchino is a product of 20th-century innovation, its enduring relevance lies in how it frames landscape, movement, and design as a unified experience. From its vibrant upholstery to its aircraft-like silhouette, it remains one of Gio Ponti’s most dynamic built environments—one that still delivers, quite literally, on the promise of design in motion.

the train’s name, Arlecchino, was a direct nod to its vibrant color palette | image © designboom

the train features panoramic lounges at either end, encased in wraparound glass | image © designboom

the lounges transform the journey into a cinematic experience | image courtesy of Fondazione FS Italiane

reclining seats in vivid velvet complete the interior | image © designboom

vibrant color can be found both inside and outside the train | image courtesy of Fondazione FS Italiane

translucent glass partitions divide the spaces within the train | image courtesy of Fondazione FS Italiane

archival image of the interior of the Arlecchino | image courtesy of Fondazione FS Italiane

the train was designed in the 1950s and built in the 1960s | image courtesy of Fondazione FS Italiane

project info: 

name: ETR.250 Arlecchino
original design: Gio Ponti and Giulio Minoletti
restoration: Fondazione FS Italiane | @fondazionefsitaliane

event: Prada Frames 2025 – In Transit
curated by: Formafantasma | @formafantasma
dates: 6-8 April 2025