Frame Workshop
A new square for Milano “Pratocentenaro”
Tactical Urbanism Intervention
Largo San Dionigi, Milano
September 27th – October 4th 2022
FRAME is a public space project that consists in the development of a portion of asphalt removed from vehicular traffic and repurposed as a meeting and exchange place: a new square for the neighborhood of Pratocentenaro.
Pratocentenaro is an old neighborhood that has radically changed since the Second World War: few existing buildings dating back from the early 1900s contrast with the area developed and generated by the economic boom that erased the image of the small rural village.
Pratocentenaro is missing a square, a meeting and aggregation place for residents; in fact, the center of the district is represented by Largo San Dionigi, a crossroads used in a chaotic way for unregulated parking.
The public surface was designed to create numerous perspectives modeled around the building which forms the perimeter of the square. The project draws inspiration from the twentieth-century vocabulary of fabrics, floor inlays and geometric decorations, familiar to the citizens of Milan.
The design consists of a series of concentric squares around the areas of greatest interest: the urban lounges, the ping pong area and the accesses to the pedestrian crossings. Starting from these fixed points, with the dual desire to identify these areas and cover the entire surface of the square, an intricate design is generated made up of thick and continuously moving lines.
Generally the transformation of the city and the creation of public space pass through a stage of closure and subtraction. During this intervention, the gap between citizens and project is bridged by applying the practice of the open construction site: the construction was conducted through a workshop organized in collaboration with the Terraviva association which involved 15 students and young architects. The volunteers constantly occupied the public space during the week of construction, becoming not only active agents of the space’s physical change, but also a point of reference for the citizens by listening, involving and bringing people closer to the project.
FRAME is a workshop within Piazze Aperte, the tactical urbanism program promoted by the Municipality of Milan and developed by AMAT – Agenzia Mobilità Ambiente Territorio. Piazze Aperte is created in collaboration with Bloomberg Associates and the Global Designing Cities Initiative; co-financed by the European Union through EIT Urban Mobility (a body of EIT – European Institute of Innovation and Technology) within “CLEAR” project.
FRAME is in Pratocentenaro, an old district that has radically changed its apparence since the Second World War: few buildings from the early 1900s rise inbetween the ones generated by the economic boom that had erased the image of the small village. Today the district identifies as its center the crossroad named Largo San Dionigi. Pratocentenaro is missing a square.
FRAME is a process of collective realization that engages all citizens, an inclusive and transversal workshop for all ages and backgrounds.
FRAME is activation, the transformation of the city and the creation of a public space usually pass through a phase of closure to public, the workshop aims at reducing the gap between citizens and the space in progress thanks to the practice of the open construction site. The process allows organizers and participants to constantly access the square, creating the opportunity for convivial moments, sharing and discussion.
FRAME is a practical workshop, where participants will be guided in the process of creating the square, thanks to the tutoring of experienced staff in the construction of large drawings on the ground.
FRAME is a public space project that consists in the development of a portion of asphalt removed from vehicular traffic and repurposed as a meeting and exchange place: a new square for the neighborhood of Pratocentenaro.
Pratocentenaro is an old neighborhood that has radically changed since the Second World War: few existing buildings dating back from the early 1900s contrast with the area developed and generated by the economic boom that erased the image of the small rural village.
Pratocentenaro is missing a square, a meeting and aggregation place for residents; in fact, the center of the district is represented by Largo San Dionigi, a crossroads used in a chaotic way for unregulated parking.
The public surface was designed to create numerous perspectives modeled around the building which forms the perimeter of the square. The project draws inspiration from the twentieth-century vocabulary of fabrics, floor inlays and geometric decorations, familiar to the citizens of Milan.
The design consists of a series of concentric squares around the areas of greatest interest: the urban lounges, the ping pong area and the accesses to the pedestrian crossings. Starting from these fixed points, with the dual desire to identify these areas and cover the entire surface of the square, an intricate design is generated made up of thick and continuously moving lines.
Generally the transformation of the city and the creation of public space pass through a stage of closure and subtraction. During this intervention, the gap between citizens and project is bridged by applying the practice of the open construction site: the construction was conducted through a workshop organized in collaboration with the Terraviva association which involved 15 students and young architects. The volunteers constantly occupied the public space during the week of construction, becoming not only active agents of the space’s physical change, but also a point of reference for the citizens by listening, involving and bringing people closer to the project.
FRAME is a public space project that consists in the development of a portion of asphalt removed from vehicular traffic and repurposed as a meeting and exchange place: a new square for the neighborhood of Pratocentenaro.
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Pratocentenaro is an old neighborhood that has radically changed since the Second World War: few existing buildings dating back from the early 1900s contrast with the area developed and generated by the economic boom that erased the image of the small rural village.
Pratocentenaro is missing a square, a meeting and aggregation place for residents; in fact, the center of the district is represented by Largo San Dionigi, a crossroads used in a chaotic way for unregulated parking.
The public surface was designed to create numerous perspectives modeled around the building which forms the perimeter of the square. The project draws inspiration from the twentieth-century vocabulary of fabrics, floor inlays and geometric decorations, familiar to the citizens of Milan.
The design consists of a series of concentric squares around the areas of greatest interest: the urban lounges, the ping pong area and the accesses to the pedestrian crossings. Starting from these fixed points, with the dual desire to identify these areas and cover the entire surface of the square, an intricate design is generated made up of thick and continuously moving lines.
Generally the transformation of the city and the creation of public space pass through a stage of closure and subtraction. During this intervention, the gap between citizens and project is bridged by applying the practice of the open construction site: the construction was conducted through a workshop organized in collaboration with the Terraviva association which involved 15 students and young architects. The volunteers constantly occupied the public space during the week of construction, becoming not only active agents of the space’s physical change, but also a point of reference for the citizens by listening, involving and bringing people closer to the project.
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Image © Agnese Morganti
Frame was created as part of the Piazza Aperte program, promoted by the Municipality of Milan and developed by AMAT – Agenzia Mobilità Ambiente Territorio. The project was possible thanks to the collaboration with Bloomberg Associates and the Global Design Cities Initiative and was co-financed by the European Union through EIT Urban Mobility (a body of EIT – European institute of innovation and Technology) within the project “CLEAR ”.
(Workshop Photo Kit)
PROJECT COMPLETED
Image © ECÒL
TUTORS & LECTURERS
The workshop will be guided and coordinated by the architects from “ECÒL” studio, experts in tactical urbanism interventions and urban regeneration. Other guests specialised in public space design will be in charge of presenting a series of open lectures as a complement to the practical activities.
ECÒL
[Prato, Italy]
Emanuele Barili
ECÒL
[Prato, Italy]
Elena Rosati
COMUNE DI MILANO
[Milan, Italy]
Rosella Ferorelli
AMAT
[Milan, Italy]
Stefano Ragazzo
Eligibility
The workshop is open to students, architects, designers, urbanists, engineers, artists, makers, activists and anyone interested in the fields of tactical urbanism and architecture. Please click on “Apply Now” and follow the instructions to submit your application.
frame.workshop@terravivacompetitions.com indicating the following subject: “FAQ – Frame Workshop”.
