“Milano piano zero” is a group show – in the context of the research project What Is the City But the People? – with artworks by Giorgio Andreotta Calò, Alessandro Calabrese, Irene Fenara, Riccardo Giacconi, Elisa Giuliano and Chiara C. Siravo, Francesca Marconi, g. olmo stuppia, Grazia Toderi, Zimmerfrei, with the support of Triennale Milano Archives and research materials by Superstudio.

The exhibition is curated by Giacomo Pigliapoco and Chiara Spagnol, and held at Triennale Milano.

Born from an interdisciplinary research project, “Milano piano zero” was inspired by sociologist, philosopher, and city planner Henri Lefebvre’s (1901 – 1991) concept of Urbanity, formulated in 1968 in his essay Le droit à la ville [The Right To the City]. Conceived as a virtue, this idea was developed in response to the rising depersonalization that had hit the leading trends in urban planning starting from the beginning of the 20th century. In opposition to simply carrying out the practicalities in city planning, Lefebvre suggests a humanist approach, where every citizen is provided with the necessary tools of knowledge to contribute in the development of their own city, in order for it to nurture the wellbeing of the individuals and the community alike. “Milano piano zero” was born as a response to indulgent urban development, oftentimes leaning towards a globalized tendency, where tourism and temporary hospitality prevail over the citizens’ needs. Thanks to the exhibited artworks, along with the accessible archive platform, “Milano piano zero” is shaped up to be a multifaceted collection of thoughts on the city of Milan, a tool for encouraging visitors to reflect on their active roles in contemporary city making. “Milano piano zero” is an invitation to imagine a new city model starting from a common, shared vision of citymaking, along with the reappropriation of public space.

Image: “Milano piano zero”, 2021, Installation view at Triennale Milano, photo by t-space studio-min