European cities are facing a great opportunity to reinvent themselves, challenging the dichotomy between historical city centres and their peripheries. Milan is based on a concentric model with its main focus on activities in the city centre, considering the periphery as a mere dormitory area. The competition site is an area on the outskirts of Milan that could work within the intended urban polycentric model. The creation of a series of sub-centralities well served by a local transportation system should help redistribute functions, creating an opportunity to relieve congestion and functional overload in the city centre. Thus, new economic activities in the sub-centralities should be implemented to improve living conditions and social integration in a formerly excluded zone.
The Studio began the design project by investigating the city's border. This was done to consider the opportunities that could flourish from a place where a new concept of modernity could be envisioned. We designed a north-south pedestrian infrastructure that offers a variety of spaces. The buildings are mainly located on the north side of the site, close to the existing built environment. Thus, the density is progressively reduced toward the countryside through the use of a different housing typology and other low-rise buildings related to common activities.
Program: Mixed-use architectural and urban regeneration
Location: Porto di Mare, Milan, Italy
Institution: Europan
Architect: Dario Pedrabissi
Associates: Kwon Youngmin, Vivian Scheepers
Collaborator: Kim Sumin
Status: Competition, unbuilt
Year: 2013
