Large urban infrastructures often function efficiently while remaining disconnected from the social life of the city. Markets, logistics facilities, and production districts can become invisible territories, used every day yet rarely experienced as meaningful public places. This project explored how a large open space within Milan’s wholesale food market could be transformed into a civic destination capable of supporting community life and collective activities.

The proposal investigated how neuroscience and environmental psychology can contribute to the design of public environments that encourage participation, encounter, and a stronger sense of place. Rather than conceiving the square as a purely functional space, the project explored how spatial qualities influence social behaviour, permanence, and the emotional interpretation of urban environments.

Particular attention was devoted to flexibility, accessibility, and the capacity of the space to accommodate different uses throughout the day and across seasons. Landscape elements, gathering areas, event spaces, and informal meeting points were integrated into a coherent framework designed to encourage interaction among diverse groups of users.

The resulting concept transformed an infrastructure-oriented setting into a recognisable public environment where commerce, culture, and everyday life could coexist. The project demonstrates how public space can strengthen collective identity and social engagement when informed by a deeper understanding of human behaviour and experience.

Works List

Year: 2010
Location: Baone, Padova
Service: Brief and design
Client: Baone Municipality
Status: Completed
Size: 900 mq