BORGO DEI CAPPUCCINI

The facade in Borgo dei Cappuccini is of mayor size.

Elevated above ground level, the wall breaks free from the pavement and rises tall above the corner of Borgo dei Cappuccini with via degli Asili.

Almost directly to be seen from the harbor, this wall will be the starting point for the MuraLi project.

Borgo dei Cappuccini is an important street which has given life throughout the early years of the Borgo neighborhood, when it was an unpaved road leading to a monastry of Montenero just a little outside Livorno’s walled city.

As the city developed outside the walls, life started to develop on both sides of the street, towards the sea, and towards the hills, giving birth the neighborhood we now know as Borgo.

Nowadays Borgo dei Cappuccini is ever present and caters from the ‘daily needs’, to fine restaurants and bars to small independent shops.

Via carlo bini

The corner wall located on Via Carlo Bini is a unique piece in Borgo.

With a characteristic presence viewed right from the busy road strolling alongside Piazza Mazzini, you immediately see an abstract shape flaring out, inviting you to enter the neighborhood.

The building is located on a key passage point in the area, for daily commuters or for those going to one of the many restaurants and bars nearby.

The abstract architecture is a residu of the newly created buildings after the bombing during the Second World War. As a street, Via Carlo Bini however was already founded in 1865 when privately owned land was converted to building blocks to host the working community of the near-by situated docks of cantieri Orlando, now known a ‘Porta Mare’

Carlo Bini himself, a colourful character, was a writer and patriot, producing works which were considered revolutionary and ahead of his time.

With this mindset we approach the space given at the corner: colorful, revolutionary and slightly ahead of our time.

VIA SAN CARLO

Another important wall is the appearance in Via San Carlo.

A tall and spacious wall, located halfway down Via San Carlo, connected to an often overlooked passage way leading into the center of Livorno.

The wall, situated at the beginning of a path which connects Via San Carlo on one side, passing a park, a parking and the famous ‘English Cemitary’ to the exit situated near Piazza Cavour and shopping street of Via Ricasoli. An ideal shortcut to travel in and out of the center.

The park ‘Parco del Odeon’ is one of few parks in Borgo and offers a green area for playing kids and their parents, the local youth and for the elderly to gather and sunbathe.

Via San Carlo provides the opposite direction of Borgo dei Cappuccini, thus leading deeper into the original core of the neighborhood Borgo and towards the harbour of Livorno.

VIA DEGLI ASILI

The wall found on Via degli Asili is completing the access to Via dei Carrozzeri.

It’s surface is a littler smaller then the other walls, but not of lesser importance. The wall stretches out further sideways, will remaining relatively low in height.

An ideal situation for a landscape orientated work of art. On the right side the wall touches the mural being realised in Via dei Carrozzeri, aiming to  make a contrast to the other opera.

The mural can be found on a passage way on the side of Via degli Asili which is founded in 1870 when private family property was converted to housing blocks. Closeby a number of interesting buildings can be found, dating back to origin of the name of the street, being 2 kindergardens, one for boys, one for girls.

As a matter of fact, the kindergartens still remain, together with a building which looks much like the White House, which hosts a variety of cultural associations.

VIA DEI CARROZZERI

The surface situated on Via dei Carrozzeri is a hidden gem.

Located in the heart of Borgo, in a quiet passage way connecting Borgo dei Cappuccini and Via San Carlo, a little square emerges, these days frequently used as a parking space. 

On the right side of the square, a wall appears which is almost as wide as it is tall. Near it’s top it has a typical serrated texture, adding a playful touch to the nearly squared total.

Via dei Carrozzeri has hosted a large amount of activities over time, from an Ice factory to the (horse)coach and carriage making and repairing activities where it has taken it’s final name from.

Passing by the neighborhood Via dei Carrozzeri offers an important role to daily traffic and also gives a little insight of an area that is usually closed to the public or used as an inside courtyard.