The original railway station, serving the northern line, on the north edge of the city square dates back to 1879. The two main underground lines were added on in the 1960s, and the Malpensa Express line connected to the international airport was built in 1999. The Ferrovie Nord (Northern Railways) and Milan City Council set about two notable projects when undertaking this latest reinforcement job. The refurbishing of the station interiors, incorporating services for passengers heading to the airport, led to the opening of a new entrance on the north. The subsequent redevelopment of the entire square, the refacing of the facade of the Railways Building, the roofing over of the pedestrian space out in front, and the reorganising of the road ways were all commissioned to the architect Gae Aulenti. The cladding of the facade over the railway building, a sort of second skin, descends into the square to create a set of canopies, transit areas partly covering the square, and small retail structure. The sculpture designed by Oldenburg and Van Bruggen (“needle, thread and knot”) and road islands with tanks of spurting water guide and organise the traffic flows. A set of appliances emitting fans of light (“Radius” by iGuzzini) from iodide lamps placed on the metal girders of the canopies, projecting direct light onto the serigraphed part of the glass roof, ensure there is enough illuminance on the paving and good views of the vertical planes.