In Greater Milan, an urban void becomes the new neighborhood square

Commissioned by the Municipality of Garbagnate, a DAP studio urban redevelopment project has just been completed. The work has become the subject of a short film that was among the 20 finalists of the recent Venice Architecture Short Film Festival.

The project of about 2,500 square meters, starting from the pre-existing trees, was developed on the concept of fusion between the image of a garden and the idea of a square, equipping the area with a variable geometric grid. A recognizable design emphasizes the irregular course of the trees – under whose shade the rest areas are concentrated – and the orderly geometry of the paving, enhancing the link between natural and built.

The flexibility of the project lies not only in the idea of multi-purpose space and the métissage between the idea of a square and the image of a garden, but also in the modularity of some elements: next to the fixed ones (curbs, furniture and lighting) there is the interchangeability between flooring, play areas and green areas.

“A useful solution” say the DAP studio “because adaptable to the future needs of citizens. We also mediated on the contrast between permanence – as a landmark of the town, finally open and accessible – and variability, necessary for a community that changes and becomes a spokesman for new needs”.