EMBT Completes Naples Metro Station Featuring Vaulted Timber Canopy
Spanish studio EMBT integrates natural materials into Naples' modernist business district via timber.
1Modernist District Transformation
Spanish architecture studio EMBT has completed the Naples Underground Central Station within the Centro Direzionale. This business district, originally designed by Kenzo Tange in the 1970s, is characterized by reflective skyscrapers and concrete surfaces. The new station replaces an understated entrance, aiming to better integrate the transit hub into the surrounding urban fabric.
2Curvilinear Timber Canopy
The station features a 10,000-square-metre wavy roof constructed from glue-laminated timber arches and beams. This design choice serves as a direct response to the artificial feel of the modernist surroundings. By introducing wood, the architects aimed to bring warmth and texture to a neighborhood dominated by glass, concrete, and rigid geometric structures.
3Forest-Inspired Structural Design
The branching columns and arched supports of the timber roof are intended to evoke the sensation of walking through a forest. These elements also reference the vaulted ceilings found in historic railway stations. The structure is partially supported by existing concrete foundations, sheltering a floor finished in local Etna and Trani limestone materials.
4Geometry of Transit
The roof's geometry follows the layout of the underground tracks, making the hidden infrastructure visible above ground. This canopy shelters ticket barriers and access routes while extending into a new public plaza. The plaza connects the station to a northern church and incorporates new planting areas to the south, enhancing pedestrian accessibility.
5Pompeian Color Palette
Below ground, the station platforms are lined with striped panels in bold shades of red, orange, and yellow. These colors are inspired by historic Pompeian frescoes, introducing a sense of local history. This thematic approach continues above ground through colourful silhouettes that appear and disappear across the surfaces of the new station structure.
6Humanizing Urban Commutes
Benedetta Tagliabue emphasized that the project aims to make the everyday experience of catching a train feel more natural and welcoming. By creating a sense of home in the middle of the city, the design seeks to foster unexpected encounters. The station acts as a bridge between modern architecture and local heritage.
7Contextual Architectural Precedents
The Naples metro project is part of a broader effort to connect the city's districts through sculptural architecture. Other notable works in the area include station entrances designed by Anish Kapoor and AL_A. These projects collectively aim to transform functional transit spaces into landmarks that reflect the city's unique cultural and historical identity.
8Global Infrastructure Recognition
The Naples Underground Central Station is currently shortlisted in the Infrastructure and transport category of the Dezeen Awards 2026. This recognition highlights the growing trend of prioritizing human-centric design in public transit. As cities evolve, such projects demonstrate how timber and natural materials can effectively soften the impact of rigid modernist urban planning.