Competition
Milan has a long history of navigable canals that formed a fundamental part of the city’s economy and the growth of the whole region, providing a direct connection between the northern lakes down to the sea.
Within Milan, the Navigli canal transported both people and goods throughout the city, but at the start of the 20th century the city’s inner canals were covered to add to the city’s road system. The Navigli canals now run underneath the streets but have the potential to be rediscovered and bring back Milan’s “water city charm”.
[left] The Navigli system starts from the lakes located north of Lombardy and Switzerland, and leads to the longest river in Italy: the Po. [right] Open Navigli and Navigli to be re-opened.
Within Milan, the Navigli canal transported both people and goods throughout the city, but at the start of the 20th century the city’s inner canals were covered to add to the city’s road system.
For the Milan Navigli Canal Challenge, participants are tasked with conceptualising the Milan of the future and envisioning a symbiotic relationship between the city and the Navigli canal. Projects should focus on environmentally - friendly design, mobility, and the relationships between water and urban spaces.
Cassina de Pomm is the area located at the start of the Navigli. It is the final point where the Naviglio Martesana runs above ground before submerging under what is now the Via Melchiorre Gioia – one of the main roads in Milan.
Participants are asked to select one of the 8 defined smaller sections of the Navigli canal path to reinvent. Each section has its own unique characteristics, key points of interest, and problems that participants are tasked with designing solutions for. Participants can choose one of the 8 portions: 01 Cassina de Pomm; 02 Via Melchiorre Gioia; 03 Conca dell’Incoronata; 04 San Marco; 05 Via Senato-Via Marina; 06 Università degli Studi; 07 Parco delle Basiliche; 08 Parco Archeologico.
The Milan Navigli Canal Challenge is being run in collaboration with Riaprire i Navigli Association – "Reopen the Navigli Association'' – and Primitivo studio Milan, who are proposing a complete renovation of the existing canal. Their goal is to create a new way for the city to operate, with competition entries to play a big part in swaying public opinion on the subject.
Download full competition brief for more information!
Competition is open to all. No professional qualification is required. Design proposals can be developed individually or by teams (4 team members maximum). Correspondence with organizers must be conducted in English; All information submitted by participants must be in English
