Navigating Urban Change: Strategies, Design and Regeneration in Milan

Within the dynamics of transformation and regeneration in global, world or Alpha cities, Milan stands as an emblematic case of the paradigmatic shift in the use of public land. This shift is evident through policies and practices often considered audacious, as well as through highly innovative and experimental approaches. This paper analyses, from the perspective of the relationship between urban space design and profit in regeneration processes, some of the most recent initiatives involving the city of Milan. Specifically, it refers to the Piazze Aperte programme promoted by the Municipality of Milan, and within this context, the specific project UNPark – Urban Nudging Park, coordinated by the authors and developed with the goal of revitalising public space beneath a large urban infrastructure. The aim of this paper is to highlight lessons learned in the transition from theory to practice in strategies such as inclusive urban space design, including tactical urbanism, co-design and participatory budgeting.