Toledo Station of the Naples Metro, Naples

Toledo Station won the 2013 LEAF Award for Public Building of the Year. The station is located on Naples’ Metro Line 1. Opened in 2012, it forms part of the city’s long-term “Art Stations” project, which aims to transform everyday transport infrastructure into public cultural spaces.

The station’s design is organised around the themes of light, water, and movement—elements closely tied to Naples’ geography and history. As passengers descend from street level, the space gradually shifts from warm tones to deep blues, evoking a journey from the city’s surface toward the sea. The most memorable feature is the large, mosaic-covered escalator hall, where shimmering blue tiles, illuminated panels, and reflective surfaces create an immersive, almost cinematic experience. Overhead light wells and mirrored elements amplify this effect, making the station feel unexpectedly expansive for an underground space.

Art plays a central role throughout the station. Installations by artists such as William Kentridge and Robert Wilson are integrated into walls, corridors, and platforms, encouraging observation rather than hurried passage. Unlike traditional museums, the artworks are encountered in motion. The result is a station that functions both as infrastructure and as a contemporary gallery, open to anyone passing through.