dominique perrault floats angular canopy over piazza garibaldi station in naples

dominique perrault floats angular canopy over piazza garibaldi station in naples
photo ©  DPA
all images courtesy of dominique perrault architecture

redevelopment work on piazza garibaldi in naples, italy, designed by french studio dominique perrault architecture, has recently been completed. the site serves as the heart of the city’s transit, containing the central train station, a a major bus terminal. the project adds a metro stop to this urban hub, and attempts to revitalize the prominent public space. at grade, the scheme is identified by a triangulated canopy structure emerging from a void sunk into the landscape, which accesses the station’s platforms.

a steel canopy floats above the various openings in the landscape
photo ©  peppe maisto / DPA / adagp

the scheme creates numerous openings in the piazza’s landscape, providing access and daylight for the subterranean station. floating above these voids, the steel frame of the canopy structure takes an angular form and is infilled with perforated metal panels and textiles of varying porosity. it is supported by bundles of inclined tube members, which in conjunction act as a singular column.

the frame is infilled with perforated metal panels and textiles of varying porosity
photo © peppe maisto / DPA / adagp

the piazza exists as a major transit hub for the city
photo © peppe maisto / DPA / adagp

the canopy’s eight columns are composed as a bundle of tube steel members
photo © peppe maisto / DPA / adagp

the project’s arrangement is referential to the structure of tree canopies
photo © peppe maisto / DPA / adagp

photo © DPA

the columns are offset in the space and lean toward the center
photo © peppe maisto / DPA / adagp

the structure shades a sawtooth roof sunk into the ground
photo © peppe maisto / DPA / adagp

photo © DPA / adagp

photos © DPA

the central station’s red and triangular roof reaches toward the new canopy structure
photo © peppe maisto / DPA / adagp

1/12