Duomo Station Subway, Napoli, Italy project: Massimiliano e Doriana Fuksas
Published in l'Arca International 163
The Duomo Station of Line 1 of the Naples Subway, is located in Piazza Nicola Amore, a historic Neapolitan square at the crossroads between Via Duomo and Corso Umberto I, thus becoming the main access point to the historic city centre after the Central Station located in Piazza Garibaldi.
The collaboration between Metropolitana di Napoli S.p.A. and the Superintendence for Archeological and Architectural Heritage has allowed to enhance, starting from the very design phase, the base of a temple dating back to the 1st century AD, a Flavian-era portico and a gymnasium running track, which were brought to light during the first excavations.
The project represents an important opportunity both to safeguard and protect the archeological area by ensuring its proper use and fruition, while respecting the daily relationship between architecture and history. A geodesic bubble cover, which will be completed in the coming months, has been designed in order to protect the temple. The steel structure is made up of triangular glass surfaces, which allow for the direct natural lighting of the temple.
The station is articulated on two levels, allowing users to choose whether to enter the excavation or perceive its presence while continuing their usual path to the trains.
At the first underground level, conceptually inscribed within the basic ellipse of the cover “bubble”, one can find the temple and the museum space. At the second underground level, the mezzanine floor, the perceptual experience is dedicated to mobility and urban travel.
Colors, lighting, geometric textures and mirrored surfaces mark the rhythm of the journey while accompanying the passengers to the train platforms.
All the elements of the architectural space, including the covering materials – bright scotch steel for the walls and the ceiling, travertine slabs for the floors – generate an ideal scenography, as a backround, for the temple.
Client: Metropolitana di Napoli; Project: Massimiliano e Doriana Fuksas; Interior Design: Fuksas Design; Engineering: Studio Sarti. Photo: ©Roland Halbe for Metropolitana di Napoli SpA
