‘Muraltalaz’: Una ruta de arte urbano interactiva y accesible para todos en Moratalaz

The Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, presented on Friday ‘Muraltalaz’, an innovative urban art route that combines creativity, technology, and accessibility in the district of Moratalaz, a pioneer in this initiative. During the visit to three of the 15 murals that make up the route, Almeida was accompanied by participating artists and representatives from ONCE and Ilunion.

The route includes works such as those by PichiAvo and Sfhir, located in the Socio-Cultural and Youth Center of Moratalaz, where two classic faces stand out among grays and colors, merging tradition and modernity. Another standout piece is Wolves Family, by the artist Asem Navarro, located at the CEIP Martínez Montañés, depicting a family of wolves in a vibrant and detailed style.

These murals, distributed on school walls, senior centers, and even on the floor of a square, invite residents to rediscover the district through art.

Technology in service of inclusion

One of the most innovative aspects of ‘Muraltalaz’ is its focus on accessibility. Through the NaviLens system — codes designed for people with visual impairments — visitors can explore each work in detail.

For this purpose, informative plaques have been installed at each mural with the name of the work, its author, a brief comment on the meaning of the works, as well as a NaviLens code that allows accessibility for people with visual impairments.

The applications that read these codes (NaviLens app and NaviLens Go app) are free and feature an innovative sound system that narrates relevant information such as the distance to the code or if there is enough light to read it. Once the content is accessed, it includes a detailed description of each mural, created by Ilunion, with the level of detail required by visually impaired individuals.

Erika, a resident with visual impairment, was one of the first to enjoy this experience: “The app allows me to ‘see’ the murals in a way I never imagined,” she said excitedly. The tool describes the artistic pieces, from colors to symbols, making urban art transcend physical barriers.

A project with a future

Almeida emphasized that Moratalaz marks the beginning of an initiative that could expand to other districts. “We want urban art not only to beautify our streets, but also to be a vehicle for inclusion and participation,” he said. As the next step, the City Council plans to incorporate an easy-to-read system so that individuals with intellectual disabilities can also fully enjoy the route.

With ‘Muraltalaz’, Madrid takes a step forward in promoting accessible and participatory art, establishing Moratalaz as a benchmark in urban creativity and social innovation.

The interactive version of the route can be accessed through this link, which includes, in addition to the location, details about the works and the artists who created them.