“La Darsena” re-opened – the revival of Milan’s city dock

The redevelopment of the former Milan city centre dock, has been described by the local press as “raising the dock from the abyss from which it had sunk”. The area surrounding “La Darsena” has seen years of neglect but has now become the 3rd site attracting tourists in Milan.

Transcript

1. “The Darsena re-opened, 
 the revival of Milan’s city dock” WCC SCOTLAND Inverness September 21, 2016 Claudio Repossi Navigli Lombardi claudio.repossi@naviglilombardi.it
2. The Darsena re-opened A short historical excursus Passing by the last bridge, the Naviglio reaches a placid expanse of water: the Darsena (dockyard), in which the thin bell tower of S. Eustorgio and the arch of Porta Ticinese are reflected. Here are the most important hydraulic works of the city, true milestones of that science that so flourished in Lombardy during the age of the city-state and that of the Signoria, and in smaller measure during the time of foreign dominations. The Darsena (Dockyard) of Porta Ticinese G. C. Bascapè “Il Naviglio di Milano” The Naviglio of Milan, Cisalpino - Goliardica, Milano 1977
3. What is the Darsena (Dockyard) of Porta Ticinese? The Darsena of Porta Ticinese is the meeting point of the Milanese Navigli: into this basin the Naviglio Grande flows and ends under the bridge called “Ponte dello Scodellino, and here is also where the Naviglio of the Martesana ends, along with the inside Naviglio and the Naviglio of Pavia instead begins under Trofeo’s bridge. (G. Codara, “I Navigli della vecchia Milano”, The Navigli of Old Milan, Virgilio Ed., Milano 1977 ) The Darsena re-opened Map of Milan – Daniel Stoopendal 1704
4. A short historical excursus Before the radical reform effected in 1919-1920 by the Port Authority of Milan, the Darsena was a basin about 400 meters long, with a width from 28 to 68 meters, a depth under the water that in its lowest state varied from 1.00 to 1.20 meters, bordered by two wharfs held up by walls of a width of 4 to 5 meters each, and developed toward the city at the foot of the rampart walls, from the customs house of Porta Ticinese. (G. Codara, “I Navigli della vecchia Milano”, The Navigli of Old Milan, Virgilio Ed., Milano 1977 ) The Darsena re-opened Map of Milan 1884
5. The Darsena re-opened A postcard of the end of XIX century A statistic from 1842 tells us that in that year 8,417 boats passed through Milan, not including the ‘coaches’ or ‘ferries’ for passengers, and that the goods transported were very varied.
6. The Darsena re-opened A postcard dated November 18th, 1901 Between 1830 and 1900, the average tonnage for our Navigli was 350,000 tons annually, with 8,300 boats.
7. The Darsena re-opened The Darsena in beginning of XXth century With the Twentieth century, Lombard navigation signaled a period of decline that reached up to 1921, but from that point on, traffic started up again, reaching 500,000 tons in the Darsena (dockyards) in the last years before the war (WWII), even though the tribute of the Martesana no longer reached that port, that settled at Crescenzago and at Gorla. G. De Finetti, Milano, “Costruzione di una città” “The Building of a City”, a cura di G. Cislaghi M. De Benedetti P. Maramelli, Etas Kompass, Milano 1969 “The Lombard Navigli (“L’Illustrazione italiana,” September 2, 1945)”
8. The Darsena re-opened The Darsena in the ’50s The last barge loaded with sand reached the Darsena in the autumn of 1975. The commercial navigation on the Naviglio Grande toward Milan, still performed without motors and going along with the current, was definitively abandoned in that year. Still for some time, on the shores of the widest expanse of water in the city (Milan boasts in addition to the Darsena, the little lake of San Marco, the little port of Santo Stefano and the little basin of Viarenna), they continued to deposit goods no longer transported via water but via land. E. Malara “La Darsena Di Milano Oggi e Domani” in I Navigli The Darsena of Milan Today and Tomorrow in I Navigli, a cura di R. Cordoni, Celip, Milano 2002
9. Nevertheless, a few years later, even the facilities and port equipment on the shore bordering on Viale Gabriele D’Annunzio were demolished and taken away, and the Darsena remained without a function, an “urban vacuum”, an expanse of water frequented only by a few haggard fishermen. E. Malara “La Darsena Di Milano Oggi e Domani” in I Navigli The Darsena of Milan Today and Tomorrow in I Navigli, a cura di R. Cordoni, Celip, Milano 2002 The Darsena in the ’50s The Darsena re-opened
10. Recent years 2004 After years of neglect use and abandonment the Milan City Council announces an International Design Competition The Darsena re-opened Aerial view of the ‘90s
11. The Darsena re-opened The Darsena at that time
12. administrative troubles & 10 long years of abandonment The Darsena re-opened
13. The Darsena re-opened Drawings from the winning project – Bodin & Associates Paris
14. The Darsena re-opened Drawings from the winning project – Bodin & Associates Paris
15. The Darsena re-opened 2014 Finally at work Thanks to EXPO2015 Milan got funds for infrastructural works and dedicated part of them to its waterways and the Darsena
16. 2014 Finally at work Thanks to EXPO2015 Milan got funds for infrastructural works and dedicated part of them to its waterways and the Darsena The Darsena re-opened
17. Works lasted about 18 months Costs: 15M € The Darsena re-opened
18. April 26th, 2015 Finally opened On April 26th, la Darsena was finally reopened in its new look after 18 months of intense work: the final chapter of a troubled history that characterized the area in the last decade. History of projects approved and subject to reviews, works commenced and not concluded, administrative appeals, surveys of historical artifacts found in the area, multiple creations of weak but noisy committees both “for” and “against”, the birth of an original ecosystem of fauna and flora, partial loss of awareness of the historical significance the port from the citizens. The Darsena re-opened
19. The Darsena re-opened April 26, 2015 The "Darsena effect” 80,000 registered visitors on the re-opening day,
20. The Darsena re-opened April 26, 2015 The "Darsena effect” 50,000 registered visitors on the re-opening day,
21. Events “EXPO 2015 in città” A seson of events 6 months long May – October 2015 7 pontoons equipped for events The Darsena re-opened equipped platforms on mobile / floating pontoons in the Darsena & the Cube
22. The Darsena re-opened equipped platforms on mobile / floating pontoons in the Darsena
23. The Darsena re-opened equipped platforms on mobile / floating pontoons in the Darsena
24. 4 pontoons for private sponsors • Conditions detailed in a “public call for private sponsor” • €30.000 a week • €100.000 a month ✓ electricity, water, cleaning&security services guaranteed ✓ Advertising and commercial activities authorized The Darsena re-opened
25. The CUBE With the aim to support the communication initiatives of EXPO in CITTA’, of particular impact was “the Cube” - located on water and soon became one of the symbols of the area for its impact and high visibility. The Cube consists of a led wall on all four visible vertical sides (dimension 8m x 8m) and placed on a special floating platform, with direction by remote. On hourly basis, the contents were divided into 60% of institutional and cultural content (programmed by Navigli Lombardi) and 40% in commercial content available to the sponsor which build and operate the installation. Thanks to the Cube, complementary activities were also carried out such as live video events from the EXPO2015 site, press conferences and events from the floating platforms and so on. The Darsena re-opened
26. The Darsena re-opened An opportunity given to territories exceptionally for free only during the EXPO but the economic value of private advertising is: 1h a day divided in short videos of 60 seconds (between 9am and 11 pm) for a minimum of 15 days > €35.000
27. Some data • 50,000 attendance for the inauguration on Sunday 26th April; • 20,000 of the parade "None touches Milan"; • 120,000 of the three- day boat-show “NavigaMI”; • 15,000 music event of Emis Killa Hundreds of people every evening for the SKY TV show The Darsena re-opened
28. Total amount from private sponsors in 2015 for activities in Darsena > € 750.000 The Darsena re-opened
29. The Darsena re-opened Festival Lands and Colors of Lombardy Promoting territories
30. The Darsena re-opened Festival Lands and Colors of Lombardy Promoting territories
31. Festival Lands and Colors of Lombardy The Darsena re-opened
32. The Darsena re-opened
33. LANDS AND COLORS OF LOMBARDY Platforms dedicated to public bodies has been used by n° 34 public bodies, n° 12 of these are part of the Navigli System: Parco Lombardo Valle del Ticino (3 weeks) Regione Lombardia DG Culture e Autonomie Adamello Ski Comune di Segrate, Castione della Presolana, Coldiretti Pavia URBIM Comune di Legnano AEF / Enaip Lombardia Protezione Civile Regione Lombardia Teatro Ponchielli di Cremona Associazione Salute e Donna Onlus General Directorate Culture and Education EU AIPO – Agenzia Interregionale per il Fiume Po CIA – Confederazione Italiana Agricoltori Parco Adda nord Movimento del Vino “Calici sotto le stelle” Chess Projects ASD Pavia Sviluppo PARTNER OF NAVIGLI SYSTEM: Comune di ZIbido S. Giacomo Comune di Buccinasco Comune di Bernate Ticino Comune di Pavia Comune di Cuggiono, Comune di Robecchetto con Induno Comune di Gaggiano Comune di Trezzano sul Naviglio Comune di Cassano d’Adda Consorzio Bonifica Est Ticino Villoresi, Parco Lombardo della Valle del Ticino Coldiretti Pavia FURTHER EVENTS LCL: EVENT “THE SILK ROAD” by CCIAA MI with a delegation of Chinese entrepreneurs,including a Press Conference and informal dinner Concert “Orchestra di fiati della Valtellina” Press Conference “Natural Parks International” Press Conference “Opera Lombardia” + live show Press Conference DG Agricoltura (Festival della Mostarda di Cremona e Mantova) Press Conference DG Culture – Odyssey project The Darsena re-opened
34. business up from 30 up to 50 percent for the 150 shops of Ticinese (the Navigli area) from the canals as far San Lorenzo Columns; revenues up to 25 percent for the operators of the new covered market The Darsena re-opened
35. Expo in Città and related impact on the area some data • "Five million visitors to the city in early May to late July. Over 41 thousand appointments in the city and its hinterland, which will continue until October. And a positive trend of economic results for the city. • At the end of the first trimester, ExpoinCittà makes an initial assessment: the program of events created by the City and the Chamber of Commerce to "accompany" the half of the Universal has already achieved a first result: BIE, the body that oversees all 'organization of the Expo, has asked Milan to be able to reuse the format in future editions of the event: • "ExpoinCittà a bet is won by the team: the numbers confirm the validity of an innovative project that embraces not only the center": the mayor Giuliano Pisapia toast to the numbers of mid-term and It responds to criticism that merchants - especially restaurant owners - have done in recent weeks."The data are reassuring, ExpoinCittà did get to Milan many tourists, though there were some initial difficulties have been overcome, although there is a fact to consider: the gathering places have changed, just think of the Darsena, so there is who has reached and exceeded the targets and who maybe not, but the overall increase is significant, " added the mayor." The Darsena re-opened
36. • “Over 200 thousand people during the four major events in the first two months of the new marina; business up from 30 up to 50 percent for the 150 shops of Ticinese (the Navigli area) by the canals to the Columns; revenues up to 25 percent for the operators of the new covered market. If you measure the euphoria of the city from 26 April onwards is possible, the only indicator used is the number of admissions " • Those data are following the 50,000 attendance of the inauguration; the 20,000 of the parade after the devastation of the 1st May Day "None touches Milan"; 120,000 of the three-day fair NavigaMI, 8 to 10 May; the 15000 concert of Emis Killa • From the new covered market of Ticino, the former trustee, the butcher Serrandrei Adriano, one of the 20 operators exults: "The market is back livable, the area is cleaned up, we feel more confident - he explains - the spaces are new and growing business . We have fewer customers who shop but greater purchases." Only 5 or 6 complain. "With the end of a year and a half for jobs we lost regular customers. And there are no parking spaces. " • Michele Berteramo, Epam, also vice president of the Pavese Canal Association: "The first month was a great boom, business is back to pre-crisis levels, we are a happy island unlike many colleagues in other areas. The second month went a bit worse. Now on with the pedestrianization Even residents understand - he concludes - that "turning on the light" security gains • (source “Corriere della Sera” 15 Jube 2015 “Fenomeno Darsena, due mesi tra folla, affari e proteste” Giacomo Valtolina” The Darsena re-opened
37. The Darsena re-opened The Darsena Christmas Village
38. The Darsena re-opened The Darsena Christmas Village
39. Some data Santa Claus: 71.512 tickets (kids and adults) Santa’s boat: 18.742 tickets Ice Skating: 20.567 tickets TOTAL attendance in the area in 1 month (including 20 temporary shops) ➢ 700.000 The Darsena re-opened
40. What in 2016? The Darsena re-opened A year dedicated to sports
41. The Darsena re-opened A year dedicated to sports
42. The Darsena re-opened A year dedicated to sports
43. The Darsena re-opened A year dedicated to sports
44. The Darsena re-opened A year dedicated to sports
45. The Darsena re-opened A year dedicated to sports
46. The Darsena re-opened A year dedicated to sports – UEFA European football championship
47. The Darsena re-opened A year dedicated to sports – Formula 1 Monza GP & Martini Racing - Williams
48. The Darsena re-opened A year dedicated to sports … & relax
49. The Darsena re-opened A year dedicated to sports … & relax
50. Next steps: - Reopening of the navigable route “Milano / Lake Maggiore” The “marble route” in a tourist perpsective - The Darsena as a logistic hub of clean mobility for the area A project idea suggested by the “Stadsleveransen” experience, the innovative delivery system transforming Gothenburg's roads The Darsena re-opened
51. You can find more pics here https://www.facebook.com/navigli.lombardi/photos Thank you! See you again in Milan, Claudio The Darsena re-opened