Upside Down Flows. Redeeming Landscapes Crossed by the Olona River in Milan
The project explores the possibilities of deculverting the Olona River along Milan, becoming the catalyzer of a green revolution for the open public spaces of the neighborhoods crossed, through the insertion of NBS, SUDS and placemaking strategies, assembling a sustainable and resilient green-blue urban corridor.
Like this, Milan becomes a green palimpsest, redeeming its ‘water spirit’ and achieving a holistic balance between the built fabric, its inhabitants and their natural capital.
Cross-border/international
Italy
Italy
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Metropolitan City of Milan (Municipality of Rho, Municipality of Pero, Municipality of Milan).
Mainly urban
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
No
No
As an individual in partnership with other persons
First name: Virgilio Last name: Diaz Guzman Gender: Male Age: 29 Please attach a copy of your national ID/residence card:
By ticking this box, I certify that the information regarding my age is factually correct. : Yes Nationality: Mexico Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Via Imperia 20 Town: Milano Postal code: 20142 Country: Italy Direct Tel:+39 366 301 3605 E-mail:virgiliodiazguzman@gmail.com
First name: Karelia Esperanza Last name: Diaz Meneses Gender: Female Age: 28 Please attach a copy of your national ID/residence card:
By ticking this box, I certify that the information regarding my age is factually correct. : Yes Nationality: Venezuela Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Via Benefattori dell'ospedale 3 Town: Milano Postal code: 20159 Country: Italy Direct Tel:+39 348 243 7065 E-mail:kareliadz@gmail.com
URL:https://www.instagram.com/virgiliodiazz/ Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): #naturebasedsolutions #greencity #landscapearchitecture #sustainability #urbanwatermanagement #placemaking #riverdeculverting #bluegreencorridor #milan #spongecity #olonariver
The project explores the possibilities of 'daylighting' the Olona River, hidden and buried during the 1950s and 1970s as a result of socio-political and economic development in Italy, along the crossed urban landscapes of the metropolitan city of Milan. The research uncovers the historical changes and transformations that led to the decommission and neglect of several portions of the city's water system, thus embracing its value as part of Milan's historic essence. While acknowledging the possibilities that deculverting streams can provide to highly dense urban settlements, the outcome of the work is an urban regeneration proposal, based on strategies and interventions aimed to reshape the crossed urban fabric with the deculverting of the Olona, from Rho municipality towards the south-western San Cristoforo neighborhood. The project creates a holistic balance between past, present, and future reimagining the city's streetscape by integrating nature-based solutions (NBS) and sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS), assembling in this way a blue-green corridor of open public spaces, unfolding into the surrounding neighborhoods by the implementation of placemaking strategies and adding slow mobility connections to the greater transport system. The overall aim of the research is to trigger critical thinking and imagine Milan as a green palimpsest. In doing so, it aims to recognize the positive effects of reintroducing natural capital into the city, boosting and enhancing the mental and physical well-being of the population, while using 'soft engineering' and co-participation techniques to self-maintain public open spaces. As result, the Olona River presents itself as a palimpsest restoring the water flowing from the 'downside' into the open air, becoming a catalyzer for the insertion of resilient green public spaces, and delivering a series of ecosystem services that counteract the current climate crisis and enhance green and sustainable strategies in Milan by 2050
Nature-Based Solutions
Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems and Soft Engineering Techniques
Placemaking Strategies for Public Activation
River Deculverting and River Renaturation
Blue-Green Corridor of Public Spaces
The research analyzes the qualitative and physical state of the open public spaces crossed by the Olona River. These spaces present a strong devotion towards motorized traffic, their parking and circulation, causing a fragmentation of the green open spaces, compromising pedestrian and cyclist accessibility and causing a sense of discomfort and insecurity, which has discouraged people from using the surrounding public facilities.
As a result, the spaces forming this "constellation of fragments" have no obvious connection between each other, but the majority of them share a strong similarity in composition and offer, becoming "faceless" remnants with no amenity or identity, offering low diversity and low sustainable performances regarding ecosystemic services.
The project rediscovers and reconnects users and public spaces while protecting and safeguarding the environment through the application of nature-based solutions, generating an holistic balance between the built fabric and its natural capital, providing benefits for both human well-being and biodiversity through the application of sustainable and resilient solutions for the design and management of the open public spaces, seeking to improve the performance of the ecosystemic services along the corridor.
There is a particular attention on the application water-focused solutions, rethinking the characteristic water spirit of the city through the newly transformed open public spaces, repurposing them as a series of "apparatuses" of a greater system for the urban rainwater upcycle management. These spaces collect and process surface water runoff through the application of sustainable solutions aligned with the SuDS (Sustainable Urban Drainage System) train cycle. These solutions use phytoremediation along its different stages to depurate and clean the water.
The green revolution caused by the deculverting of the Olona seeks to redeem the now lost "water spirit" of the city, reconnecting the citizens with their 'water heritage' and enhancing a sense of belonging in Milan, strategy that has show a strong success in case studies such as the "Darsena Waterfront" renovation in 2015 along the 2015 Expo, and the "Naviglio Martesana" requalification. The transformation caused by the project is visible in the reprogramming of green open spaces, which incorporates a variety of vegetal species capable of carrying out 'soft engineering' such as phytoremediation and phytodepuration processes, changing throughout the year, delivering new and rich experiences through the interaction of the senses, exploring diverse textures, colors, smells, and visual perspectives that engage with people's positiveness.
This strategy breaks the monotonous and repetitive sequences and perspectives along the transit of the users, integrating uses, amenities and topographies that enrich the sensorial and physical experience of the inhabitants along its neighborhoods, inviting them to rediscover and engage exploring their open public spaces, while enhancing their day-by-day interaction along their journey. preserving and strengthening the environment.
Furthermore, the green layers become one while pedestrian and cyclist transits take priority over automobiles. By doing so, the project strengthens and revitalizes the identity of the suburban landscapes traversed by the now-buried Olona River, creating a new green landmark for the entire tissue that forms Milan's metropolitan urban fabric and revalorizing the suburbs of the city.
The project's main goals aim to reprogramme the now-disconnected system of open public spaces, with the implementation of a series of slow mobility strategies as the driving force, putting pedestrian and cyclist accessibility at the top of the mobility pyramid. This is accomplished through the creation of car-free corridors that empower and improve transit along green open spaces while also unfolding in a green gradient towards the surrounding neighborhoods.
Furthermore, a series of placemaking strategies boosts the insertion of activities and amenities, revitalizing and revalorizong the overall interaction between the inhabitants in their city, thanks to an analysis of the surrounding urban fabric and their inhabitants.
As a result, the project improves pedestrian and cyclist accessibility by assembling car-free corridors that connect to green spaces. Furthermore, the project will revitalize the surrounding urban area by introducing new activities and amenities, encouraging better interaction among neighbors of all ages along a shared collective space.
This is accomplished as a result of the population analysis and study of the current state of amenities and equipment along this transect conducted during the research phase, which provided insights on the opportunities to better strengthen the articulation of local flows and better inclusion and integration of marginalized and neglected portions of the crossed neighborhoods.
In addition, the project proposes a multifaceted governance model that takes into account all levels of interaction, from citizens to municipalities to stakeholders at the European level. This governance structure is built through local collaboration, taking into account stakeholders at the neighborhood, municipal, metropolitan, and regional levels, constructing a global interconnection and integration for the administration of open public spaces, and encouraging neighborhood collectiveness and appropriation.
The application of the project's main four drivers will benefit citizens in a comprehensive way. First, the environmental protection and enhancement, with the mission of enriching the urban green, which has been accomplished through the regeneration and assembly of the green open public spaces. Furthermore, incorporating nature-based solutions and sustainable urban drainage solutions improve the quality of life and provide adaptability and resilience to the city, empowering it to withstand the effects of the current climate crisis. Finally, the consolidation of car-free corridors as well as slow mobility solutions and technologies will improve the reachability, permeability, and accessibility of the intersected neighborhoods.
The application of the project is based on the addition of multiple activities, amenities, infrastructure, and immersive experiences to the neighborhoods traversed. thereby improving the quality of life and revalorizing the property value along this newly assembled corridor. This transformation takes place at different levels of intervention, favoring and encouraging large-scale sustainable renovations that also supports the existing infrastructure, thereby preventing abrupt changes in social and economic dynamics that could lead to the formation of gentrification and thus better supporting the creation of sustainable interconnected neighborhoods. The project will also seek to engage the local community in the transformation process, through the organization of workshops, focus groups, and other participatory activities that will take place throughout the duration of the project.
The goal is to create a sense of belonging and responsibility for the new public space amongst the citizens, as well as to create a space for knowledge-sharing and exchange between different stakeholders.
The project aims to have significant collective benefits for local communities and the larger society. However, the success of the proposal depends on the engagement and participation of multi-level stakeholders. At the local level, stakeholders include residents, community organizations, and the integration of small businesses that will support a circular economy for the maintenance of the corridor. These stakeholders have a direct connection to the site and provide valuable input on how the project will impact their daily lives. Their engagement ensure that the project aligns with local needs and priorities, and that it is implemented in a way that is inclusive and equitable. For example, community members can be involved in decision-making processes, providing input on design options and identifying potential issues or concerns.
At the regional level, stakeholders include local government officials, regional planning agencies, and environmental organizations. These stakeholders can provide valuable insights on the regional context and implications of the project, as well as help identify potential funding sources. Their engagement can ensure that the project is consistent with regional land-use plans and policies, and that it takes into account the unique ecological and social characteristics of the region.
At the national level, government agencies, national environmental organizations, and industry groups provide input to identify potential funding sources and achieve regulatory requirements. At the European level, European Union agencies, international environmental organizations and industry groups were considered. Overall, the engagement of different stakeholders at various levels is essential for the project design and implementation in a way that is inclusive, equitable, and and consistent, providing additional value by increasing the ownership and acceptance of the project by the stakeholders.
The project's structure is built on the knowledge base shared by many European-funded innovation and sustainability-oriented research, leveraging expertise interconnectivity and crossed-knowledge bases to form a global perspective for the project's various scales. Furthermore, this new blue-green corridor reflects on other local urban transformation projects, harnessing shared knowledge, and proposes to boost innovative sustainable techniches such as streams deculverting and river renaturation processes while creating human-focused corridors and multidisciplinary and adaptable open squares able to locally-manage water runoff with environmental friedly materials to better manage albedo and counteract the current urban heat island effects the city struggles in summer.
By consequence, along the design process, an architectural and urbanist analysis revealed the series of historic motives and movements that led to the current state of the urban fabric and by consequence the Olona River culverting process over a century.
Consequently, the project apply sustainable practices such as nature-based solutions and sustainable water management, both of which are supported by architectonic, landscape, botanical, and water-focused soft engineering practices in order to achieve a possitive transformation.
This was supported by overlapping knowledge and official reports on the physical and chemical state of the entire Olona River basin over the last decade.
The Upside Down Flows explores many emerging trends and solutions for landscape and urban design focused on climate change resilience through the insertion of nature-based solutions, sustainable urban drainage systems, and the revalorization of the lost and neglected natural capital as a key tool to mitigate the climate crisis, seeking to achieve an holistic balance between inhabitants and their built fabric.
This transdisciplinary approach allows the project to put a strong emphasis on community outreach and involvement, which is critical to the masterplan and local place-based strategies long-term success and preservation.
Furthermore, the project aspires to be a forerunner in knowledge interconnection, having been conceived through the information sharing of diverse sustainable European-funded research and policies, thereby understanding and conceiving the public realm as a living system composed of several organs providing services that translate in environmental enhancement and human health and wellbeing improvement. The Olona deculverting develops new knowledge and serves as an example tool for best practices and synergies that can be replicated and scaled by using this integrative and place-based approach.
Furthermore, the overall work aims to serve as a catalyst example for other urban settlements that have lost a significant portion of their natural capital, result of the resource overexploitation during the last century's hyperindustrialization.
The methodology used in the project's research, design, and implementation is the main key aspect of the proposal that is replicable or transferable. Understanding the project's objectives, design principles, and implementation processes thoroughly can aid in identifying key elements that can be adapted to other contexts. This can include tasks like identifying stakeholders and beneficiaries, developing phases of a project plan, and setting up monitoring and evaluation systems.
Another factor to consider is the technology and solutions used. In landscape projects, innovative technologies and techniques such as green roofs, rainwater harvesting systems, and nature-based solutions are key factors for a succesful implementation.
Besides from the methodology and technology used, the knowledge and learning gained can be used to replicate or transfer the project to other locations and contexts. This can include project management lessons, community engagement, and incorporating sustainability principles into project design. These insights can help to improve the overall sustainability of the project by providing valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities that may arise during the replication or transfer of a project.
Overall, replicating or transferring sustainable landscape projects can have a significant impact on the environment, economy, and society. To be successful, it is essential to understand the methodology, technology, and learning from the project, as well as to identify and engage the appropriate stakeholders and beneficiaries. By doing so, sustainable landscape projects can be adapted and scaled to other places, groups of beneficiaries, and contexts, and thus contribute to a more sustainable future.
Unfortunately, Milan is highly affected by the effects of the current climate crisis arising Europe over the past decade. This is visible due to the extreme behavior the weather is showing, with longer, colder winters and shorter, warmer summers. In this last one, the heat waves have become so severe in the city that they became trending topic due to melting street fixtures, suburban droughts, endangered animals, and even deaths as reported in several media.
The strong impacts of the urban heat island effect and the vulnerability caused to the population related to this risk and due to the Land Surface Temperature Anomaly indicates the low resilience of Milan towards climate change and the low performance of the ecosystemic services of the natural capital counteracting the climate change.
Sadly, in these extreme weather conditions, people depend on the use of cooling/ heating solutions that rely on hydrocarbons and electricity, leading to massive emissions of carbon dioxide, thus endangering environmental and territorial sustainability.
In addition, thanks to the knowledge acquired through other green policies, it was detected the strong emission of nitrogen dioxide particles (PM10) along the main vehicular axes along the city.
It's a vicious circle also impacting the economy of cities and residents as energy prices rise due to the overuse of these cooling systems on which citizens rely to provide comfort and health during harsh weather.
By the assemble of a blue-green corridor with the Olona River deculverting, the project triggers a green revolution of the nearby open public spaces, enhancing their vegetation diversity and enriching the ecosystemic performance while creating resilient and adaptable spaces that empower the natural capital to be capable of counteract the current strong impacts of climatic change, seeking to redeem the now lost ´water heritage' of the city, that in the end, shaped the current fabric of the city.
