Peter Greenaway and Uberto Siola design Naples metro station Chiaia as mythological journey

The new Chiaia station of Naples' Line 6 metro, designed by architect Uberto Siola with artistic interventions by Peter Greenaway, is set to open. The station is conceived as a mythological journey through three levels, featuring references to Wrightian geometric matrices and chromatic symbolism. The first level, at Piazza Santa Maria degli Angeli, introduces Jupiter as a protector of travelers, depicted as a blue-painted metal sculpture with twenty-four arms. A helical staircase in a cylindrical structure topped by a 12-meter glass lantern channels natural light, symbolizing Neptune's realm, with Ovid's verse inscribed on the parapet. The second level, with an entrance on Via Chiaia, represents Ceres' kingdom in green, leading to an octagonal ochre area dedicated to Proserpina with six pomegranates. The platform level honors Hades, with hundreds of eyes on the dome above the waiting areas. Line 6, originally conceived as a metro-tramway from Fuorigrotta to Ponticelli, faced decades of delays due to funding issues, technical problems, and the Tangentopoli scandal. Construction resumed in 2002, transforming it into a fully underground light metro. The 5.5 km line with eight stations partially opened in 2007 between Fuorigrotta and Mergellina but closed in 2013 due to low ridership and a collapse. The new segment includes three stations: Arco Mirelli, San Pasquale, and Chiaia.