Lo spessore del bordo. Fra via Terracina e la Mostra d’Oltremare di Napoli

Abstract

The project and the text have been developed as part of a call for projects organized by ProArch, the National Scientific Society of Architectural Design Professors, SSD Icar 14, 15, and 16. The theme focused on the reconfiguration of a large marginal area along Via Terracina, the northern edge of the Mostra d’Oltremare complex within the broader context of the western area of Naples. The current primary entrance to the Mostra d'Oltremare is from the southeast, facing the city center. However, due to the vast area of approximately 720,000 m², there are several access points, including a rarely used northern entrance. This entrance is underutilized because it opens into an area dominated by Via Terracina, a major artery connecting Naples and Bagnoli, and various poorly related services and commercial activities, creating an unresolved environment. The perimeter wall currently acts as an impenetrable barrier protecting the fair and archaeological areas, which are isolated and largely abandoned due to conservation efforts. The call aimed to enhance pedestrian accessibility from the north, proposing a transition zone from the disordered contemporary urban fabric to significant ancient and modern remnants. The project area includes the northern boundary from Via Cuma a Fuorigrotta to the eastern edge of the Roman Baths archaeological site. This strip features an ancient Roman road, Via Puteolana, a funerary mausoleum, and the Serino Aqueduct ruins. The project creates public space, enhancing connections between the Mostra and the Agnano crater slopes, establishing conditions for a continuous archaeological park. Buildings define the enclosure, incorporating a new volume replacing a structure slated for demolition, and integrating with Carlo Cocchia’s 1938 Tropical Aquarium. The proposal introduces two entrances, preserving the Mausoleum and enclosing a trapezoidal area bounded by Via Terracina, Piazza Antiniano, Via Cuma a Fuorigrotta, and the Palazzo dell’Innovazione e della Conoscenza. The strategy emphasizes spatial continuity, extending the project beyond the Tropical Aquarium to the junction of Via Cuma and Via Terracina, reinforcing internal and external connections. The new layout redefines the site's identity, creating a sequential revelation of views and a green backdrop while maintaining functional connectivity. The plan integrates existing and new green spaces, enhancing urban relationships and architectural significance, supporting pedestrian access with an underground parking facility and reducing traffic pressure on Via Terracina.