Learning from (Milan) Expo

Immediately after the conclusion of the Milan World’s Fair, the present article aims at proposing a first balance of the Expo 2015, in order to make a contribution to understand if a large event can still be considered a driver of urban change in the current conjuncture. By using six key-words - large scale infrastructures, city and event accessibility/public spaces, involvement/visibility, cultural legacies, technological innovation and state of exception – and by observing the short-term event effects on the urban and regional area, both innovations and critical aspects are recognized. They characterize the Milanese experience and might influence the future development of both the Expo site and the entire Milan metropolitan region.