Good design can make people live better and one of the most innovative and participatory squares of Milan, the Italian capital of design, is named after Gae Aulenti, famous architect and designer, perhaps the best of his generation. “My architecture is in close relationship and interconnectedness with the existing urban environment, which almost becomes its generating form.” says a famous quote, and the squares are among the most interconnected structures of individual cities.
Among the characteristic places of which Milan is rich, deserves a special mention Piazza Gae Aulenti that, in a very short time, has obtained the title of “square of the future”since it soon proved to be the perfect meeting point between the historic center and the financial area of Milan.
The history of Piazza Gae Aulenti
Piazza Gae Aulenti was inaugurated on December 8, 2012, just a month after the death of the designer and architect to whom it is named, Gaetana Emilia Aulenti, in commemoration. That day remained impressed in the minds of all those present, literally gaping; in fact, before their eyes, they saw a sort of anticipation of the Milan of the future, with a square with innovative and avant-garde design, very different from the typical citizen.
Its peculiarity has made Piazza Gae Aulenti a true symbol of communication between present and future, as well as a game in perfect balance between high and low space, enhanced even more by the presence of a work by Alberto Garutti: This is Egg, an installation consisting of 23 chromed brass tubes that, developing vertically, joins the parking lot to the meeting point between Corso Como and Piazza Gae Aulenti.
Fonte: wikimedia.org
Through the tubes, you can communicate with passers-by on the lower floors and listen to their conversations. Not surprisingly, at the foot of the sculpture, an explanatory phrase was engraved: “These pipes connect the various places and spaces of the building. This work is dedicated to those who pass through here will think of the voices and sounds of the city”.
The beauty of this place continues even during the night: the fountains give rise to spectacular water games that, illuminated by lights of different colors, accompany passers-by in their night walks.
What to see in Piazza Gae Aulenti?
From Piazza Gae Aulenti you can admire the skyline of Milan: you can see perfectly the Garibaldi Towers and the skyscrapers of the Vertical Forest, the Palazzo della Giunta Lombarda, the Galfa Tower, the Pirelli Skyscraper, the Tower Municipal Technical Services, a part of the Diamond Tower and the residential towers Solea, Solaria and Aria.
Not only towers and skyscrapers: from the square you can also see the Library of Trees (BAM), a large green lung in Milan and the only example in Italy of contemporary garden, located a few steps from the skyline of Porta Nuova. The BAM connects Piazza Gae Aulenti, Via Melchiorre Gioia, the Isola district and the green promenade of Varese.
Fonte: siviaggia.it
And it’s not over: given that the square is elevated compared to the road surface, you can have a general view of the Unicredit Tower, 231 meters high and, for this, defined as the tallest skyscraper in Italy.
Awarded by the Landscape Institute as one of the most beautiful squares in the world in 2016, Piazza Gae Aulenti is often chosen as a location to shoot commercials and photo shoots, as well as to organize social, artistic, cultural and musical events.
Whoever is in Milan, therefore, can not avoid visiting this symbol of modernity and innovation!
What to see in the center of Milan?
The historic center of Milan is the heart of the city, because it contains the stories and places of interest not only for the inhabitants, but also for visitors. You can easily walk around and even during the same day, ranging from museums to restaurants, from historic buildings to trendy shops.
Here are the unmissable places:
Duomo di Milano
Symbol of the city par excellence, the Duomo of Milan deserves to be visited both externally and internally; walking on the terraces, in fact, you can enjoy a breathtaking view, especially at sunset.
Fonte: wikimedia.org
Symbol of the city par excellence, the Duomo of Milan deserves to be visited both externally and internally; walking on the terraces, in fact, you can enjoy a breathtaking view, especially at sunset.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is the beating heart of Milanese fashion with mosaics, designer shops, sparkling windows and trendy restaurants. Lovers of style will surely find something suitable for their tastes!
Fonte: eventimilano.it
The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is the beating heart of Milanese fashion with mosaics, designer shops, sparkling windows and trendy restaurants. Lovers of style will surely find something suitable for their tastes!
Castello Sforzesco
Surrounded by legends, ghosts and apparitions, Castello Sforzesco is one of the Milanese buildings you should definitely visit; inside there are several masterpieces of Italian art, including La Pietà di Rondanini by Michelangelo Buonarroti.
Fonte: lombardiasegreta.com
Teatro alla Scala
The stage of the Teatro alla Scala in Milan was crossed by artists such as Carla Fracci, Roberto Bolle and Maria Callas, which makes it a source of pride not only for Milan, but for the whole of Italy. It is advisable not only to visit it but, if you have the opportunity, to attend a work: guaranteed satisfaction.
Fonte: rainews.it
Navigli
The area of the Navigli has a double aspect: a more mundane, characterized by trendy bars, cocktails and aperitifs, and a more romantic, to share with your loved one by candlelight. In any case, it is always a great choice to spend a typical Milanese evening.
Fonte: naviglilive.it
Parco Sempione
The Sempione Park is assiduously frequented by young people; inside there is the Palazzo della Triennale, that is the Palazzo dell’Arte, an extraordinary example of 1930s architecture. Many want to visit it because of the many temporary exhibitions, the Design Museum and the Mysterious Baths of De Chirico.
Fonte: wikimedia.org
Not to be missed, nearby, the Arch of Peace (whose construction began under Napoleon) and the Arena, the traditional arrival point of the marathons organized in the city.
Pinacoteca di Brera
Finally, you must pass through the Pinacoteca di Brera, one of the most important museums in Lombardy (and not only); its rooms host works of art of extreme importance, which allow visitors to retrace the history of Italian art.
Fonte: pinacotecabrera.org
Copertina:milanoevents
