When think tank 21st Europe began devising Starline, a blueprint for a high-speed rail network to revolutionize European mobility — they needed more than technical specifications. They needed to make people believe in a connected, sustainable future.
As design partners on this project, we had a specific role, and had to shield ourselves a bit from the complexity of existing research. We weren't tasked with the train's technical design, nor did we dive into the broader political and economic complexities that come with the introduction of Starline.
From envisioning the architecture of the train terminals to zooming in on the materials of the train seats — there were too many decisions to be made. We had to narrow things down. So we stuck to the core element of the narrative: the iconic blue train.
We assumed people would be excited by the train design — because it's easy to imagine yourself on a train — but it turns out that the idea of an efficient digital platform for international travel really resonates with our audiences as well.
In the end, this blueprint is about much more than “just” the train itself; it's about the context, the broader ecosystem. We're trying to offer a human point of view on what is often presented as a technical, scientific, or political dossier — to get a broader audience “onboard.”
