12 | Moscova to Gae Aulenti

Index of Contents Introduction

03-04

Spontanious Walks

05-07

Planned Walks

08-11

Blinded Walks

12-13

Random Encountered Situations

14- 16

Conclusions

17

Introduction The exercise of Commented City Walks scratches the study of the variability in the human behavior in the public space not only depending on the subject and its features but also on the time, environment settings, street conditions, among others.

In addition to the above, the methodology used in the surveys could influence the public space user behavior, losing spontaneity in the subjects who are previously approached. In this regard, for this activity we have chosen as settings one weekday and one on weekend with sunny conditions, but we also divide the analysis into two groups, the first with previously approached users and the second with users consulted after the walk.

All descriptions bellow are along Corso Como street considering as starting point Moscova station, passing by Porta Garibaldi and having as final options 3 ramifications: Garibaldi station, Piazza Gae Aulenti, Esselunga and XXXX.

03

Introduction

04

Introduction

05

Spontanious Walks

People not aware at all of the experience

The priest, around 45.

While we were observing the priest, we noticed that he was walking very fast.

Through the path to his destination he was only interested in food stores and walking always on the right side, and bearly turning to the left side to see stores or the atmosphere. When he reached the Corso Como road he continued to go to Piaza Gae Aulenti, he took the stairs instead of the ramp, and at the middle of the way he stopped to meet someone he knew and started to talk to him, it does not took so long the conversation, for about a minute but while talking e seems to be happy and in a good mood.

When he reached the Gau Aulenti square he turned right and then through the Library Park he continued to walk to reach his destination.

In general, from the beginning we thought that he was hungry and he did know where he wanted to go, because throughout the way he was walking very fast, didn’t had any interested in anything, expect that was interested only at food stores because he seems to be hungry or maybe is the only thing that engaged him throughout the way.

fig.1

06

People not aware at all of the experience

Spontanious Walks

The family of four / The father around 40, the mother around 38-40, the daughter 7-8 year, the baby 2-3 year Observing them, I noticed that starting from Moscova square, they were always taking the right side, seeing shops mostly food restaurants but not stopping at all.

Compared to the other people they were always choosing the safest way because of the baby car. What was interesting is that the men was always looking at the surrounding, mostly seeing the left side. The girl was so energetic and always talking to them, going from one side to the other, most of the time talking with her mom.

When they had to cross the street in front of Porta Garibaldi, the father took the girls hand to keep her safe while they passed the street. Through the Corso Como, they continued to take the right side, and the men was always interested at food restaurants, here mainly at the right side.

To reach the Gau Aulenti square they took the ramp, and when they were in front of the Golden Trumpets they let the girl free to walk and run and explore the space.

Through the fountains they just turned right to go to the Library Park. The walk was normal, they were not in hurry, nor slow walk but it seems that they had a destination where they wanted to go.

fig.2

07

Spontanious Walks

People not aware at all of the experience

The old lady, around 70s. fig4 The old lady wearing light brown shoes and a dark yellow handbag, light pink coat and brown pants seemed to be interested in fashion a lot. Starting from the piazza in Moscova, she was always stoping and looking at fashion stores, she was always seeing the clothes store even sometimes stopping for some seconds to look at the clothes that were exposed in the stores and then continuing walking to reach her destination.

Through the path she was always taking the left side, because they were more fashion stores rather than food. The walk was normal not in hurry neither too slow, seemed she was going somewhere but so relaxed and calm. After finishing Corso Como she pasted the street and through the small park she went directly to the Esselunga store. She was so engaged with the surrounding and intereseted to see everything, especialy clothes stores.

Overall, we were guessing that she had a destination because her walk seemed so, she was not interested in entering the stores or eating something neither in meeting someone, but just going normally to the point (Esselunga market).

fig.3

06

People not aware at all of the experience

Spontanious Walks

Goup of school mates with teacher, estimated age 16 The first approach with the group was no spontaneus, we tried to talk with some of them but the effect was like a shark in the sea during hunting moment; when we approach them they start to walk faster or to talk between them as we wasn’t there. For this reason we have decide just to observe them without asking anything else but just looking what will happen.

They stop in front of 10 Corso Como Caffè, here the group split in 3 main parts.

One parts enter in the court of the building and take some pictures, then when they were inside, some of them decide to enter in the shop to see what kind of shop could be located in this particular kind of building.

The second group remain in front of the location sitting for relax and check their phone. They were speaking about travelling, it was their first time in Milan based on some talks, and some of them sais that do not appriciate so much the city because of the confusion, they came from Umbria.

The third group went in the other side of Corso Como to watch the Cannabis store, they laught and they took a selfie of the place but nobody enter inside.

Someone call the other group to show what they have found. All the group spent there more than 20 minutes, laughing and talking after this break they restart the walking and at the end they reach Piazza Gae Aulenti.

fig.4

07

Spontanious Walks

People not aware at all of the experience

Couple of friend, estimated age 15. fig 5 They were less interested in the stores, they seemed more interested to the landscape and surrounding. To reach the other side of the street, Porta Garibaldi, one of them run and cross the street even that the traffic light was red. The other boy was waiting for the green traffic light, while he took some picture.

The boy one, the “fastest� was walking always before his friend, probably because he was the guide, or more specific he had the google maps to check the streets and the path they were going.

After that both of them crossed the street, they walked trought Corso Como talking and joking without any other intressed in the surrounding, the only shop that reach their interests is the Chiara Ferragni boutique, which is probably the only firm that they know. Before enter in Piazza Gae Aulenti the two friends, amazamented, take some pictures of the tall buildings. Finally when they reach their destination they seems more interested to the space then before, looking the shops, the fountain, the general landscape and taking a selfie for prove that they have reach the destination. Is clear that the objective of their walk was to go in Piazza Gae Aulenti, for this reason they don’t pay attenction to the other things before but they show immediatly their interests to the final destination taking the picture of it also from afar.

fig.5

06

People not aware at all of the experience

Spontanious Walks

Father and daughter, estimated age 50 (father), 18 (daughter). fig. 6 Close to each other they walk fast without pay attention to the surrounding.

They talk toghether, probably the daughter was explaining somethigs to his father. Along the way, she had the phone in her pocked, but sometimes she checked it as she was expecting a call or a message.

The father was serious, not interested at all thoughout the way, seeed that in mind he had only to reach the destination. As mentioned beore the walk was very fast, talking to each other all the way most of the time the daughter was more active in the conversation than the father, he always approved and replayed but he seemed a little bit busy in his thoughts because of his behaivour.

They cross Corso Como and turned left, they stoped a while at the traffic light where also theu start talking while waiting and at the end they reached their final destination was the metro station Porta Garibaldi.

fig.6

07

Planned Walks

People aware of the experience

British tourist guy, 28 years old. First time in Milan.

He described Moscova space as quiet and safe, with a really live and crowded street. The smells of food from different tables and the people talking in the street was something that cannot be hidden.

He was confused by a big block of concrete that emerge in the middle of the pedestrian path when he arrived to the church. In the follow corner, it was a surprise to see a Starbucks in this kind of places, no too commercial for him.

In the crossing of the Viale Francesco Crispi, he contrasted the direction of the vehicles flow with London´s, and said the importance to look in both sides of the street.

Being in the Porta Garibaldi, he stopped and took some time to admire the monument, where mentioned how detach is this place with the surrounding and the unconfutable environment because the noise of the street. At the end, he decided to take the path to Piazza Gae Aulenti, where took time to see the people dancing in front of the big windows of the boutique stores where he defined as the most enjoyable spot in the path.

Scottish tourist lady, 26 years old. Second time in Milan.

She labeled Moscova as a safe place because the absence of cars. She preferred to walk in the right side because there was more people and felt quite vital.

Following the path, the church emerged and the open space feels more calm and vibrant according to her perception. She waited to cross this local street and realized there were a lot of people with their children riding bikes, and how loud the people were speaking in the street near to Viale Francesco Crispi.

She was looking for 10 Corso Como, place mentioned in a magazine that she found in the airport. She defined this space as a secret and hidden luxury that detach you from the rest of the city, where It did not long to see the library and the little but extravagant store, as she said.

She went in direction to Porta Garibaldi train station, but taking time to see the handicrafts of some random temporal shops.

08

People aware of the experience

Planned Walks

Colombia student lady, 32 years old. Living in Milan.

She had rush to pass through, because lives nearby and is a frequented place for her. All the time is very noisy and populous place in the weekend because the restaurants and apetitivo places, mainly near to Moscova station, she said.

There was a street food festival around Porta Garibaldi, what she said was a common activity of Eataly store. In this last place, she decided to enter, the acoustic change completely in contrast with the street, even when the store was filled with the voices and bips of cash machines. Also this space was colder than outside, even with that unconfutable and small space to walk through between all the clients.

At the end, she finished the path in choosing one gelato from Venchi gelateria of the Piazza Gae Aulenti and sitting in front of the fountain looking the sunset, what she described as refreshing and quite place.

The tourist young guy / 20 years old He liked the square in Moscova, the coffees, the mini restaurants, hence he said that he feels good in these kind of small social spaces. Moving forward from the piazza, he was entering in every store that was selling the sport clothes and sport footwear, maybe because he love soccer and he also was a professional soccer player in his country.

Furthermore, it was his first time in Milan and he was really interested in the surrounding, observing, watching, taking photos. Whenever he saw something that was obvious and interesting to him he was taking photos, for instance some old buildings with more complicated design, the Starbuck coffee, the Porta Garibaldi, The Cannabis shop and similar. Walking through, he always was on the right side except after Porta Garibaldi he started in the right but then he changed the direction to take photo of the shops.

Sometimes he was distracted on the phone losing the interested in the surrounding for a while only because he wanted to share the pictures with his relatives and friends.

When we reached the Gau Aulenti he was more engaged to the area, starting with the design of the golden trumpets and then the fountains but not solely,

09

Planned Walks

People aware of the experience

The tall guy (foreigner architect), age 27 He was a very good observator, at the beginning his first comments were about the shape of the square, quoting him: “It is not a regular square like it is Piazza Duomo, but it is a kind of triangle”. He was intressted to the publicity posters in the buildings, he observe the contrast between the 2 buildings, one in front of us, that had the publicity of Gucci and the other regarding Armani, and then he said: “ it is weird to have two fashion brand so close to each other”.

He also noted that the “Gucci building” it was in the side of Gucci, more underground style, he said that it was totaly different to the front side which was more classic and formal.

Through our walk, we passed close to a street when a street artist was playing live music, listening to him, he said that he liked it even though according to him this was a sort of clichè listening to street music in a turistic place such as Moscova and Corso Como. He looked at both the physical aspect and the people, he did not found the street crowded for that time.

Whe reached the church of Santa Maria incoronata, and he was interested in the material, quoting him: “I like it because this kind of element is very recurrent in the architectural style of Italy’’. Afterhe saw the church, he turned the head looking the Unicredit building and observe that is a sort of guide point for turists or for people that do not know Milan very well, and he said: “If you are close to this area you can check the skyline and probably you will undestand where you are”.

He explained me that Piazza Gae Aulenti is one of the first places he visited in Italy. Before he crossed the street he waited for the green traffic light and laughed wathcing Etaly, because he used to see it also in his country. Afterward, we crossed the street passing through Porta Garibaldi he asked me some information about the meaning of the monuments showed in the structure. At that moment he seemed more intrested in the people rather than the physical aspects of the square. He observed that there are very different kind of people, and this is one of the reason why he enjoy comming here.

When we reached Corso Como he appear more interested to the space, he said: “buildings are colourful, in the whole space they are coherent, also according to the colours of the people clothes’’, which seems to respect the shade of the sourrounding.

Walking trought Corso Como he payed attenction to the cloth stores and for this reason he walked close to them.

He explained to me that he do not like the new buildings close to Gae Aulenti, but he appriciated more the old ones as a better mirrored the style of the city.

The colours of these kind of buildings are peculiar in his country (Lebanon).

10

People aware of the experience

Planned Walks

Bella ragazza (italian), brunette, age 23 It’s good weather. Hot and sunny, wird for this period, she said that she like to walk during sunny days even if this is not her favourite place for walk, there is too much people and she prefer to walk in the parks or in a more green spaces, “i prefer more green and less people”. Anyway she note that there are a lot of shops, bars and she like this characteristic, because she have the possibility to take a look to different locations in the same time.

She is impressed to Unicredit building, “even if there are a lot of different elements here, my attenction go only to Unicredit. I appriciate this area for his building typologies, i’d like to live here mybe on the rooftop, with a big balcony that has flowers with good smell.”

She found this space also intresting becouse of his different shapes, his roman church, the arcade, very different from Piazza Gae Aulenti. She recognize the same mixing on people that are here, young, old, inhabitant, tourist, workers.

Waiting green traffic light for cross the street we stay in silence.

After crossing and pass the arcade she tell me that she isn’t intrested to this shops, too expensive for her, “why i should watch knowing that i can’t buy enything”.

She remember her first time here, she came here for drink during night, during the day she come here just for visit Unicredit and Piazza Gae Aulenti, she tell me that her father work in Unicredit bank in Bologna, so when she come here she take a picture for him.

She observe that this is a beautiful place with interesting building but the style is not italian, the atmosphere is too cold.

Going on the walk, for enter in piazza Gae Aulenti she prefer the central ramp rather than the stairs.

She observe that here, mans are all good dressed, with a very business clothes.

She take a look to the shops another time and she ask her self if someone used to buy somethigs from here or this shops are here just for give notoriety to the firms.

For her one of the most intresting and funny things that are here are the sound instrument before Piazza Gae Aulenti: “in my city, Bologna, we have an arcade that work like this one but in a more traditional way, if you speak in one, in the opposite one you can listen the voice.

When we reach the squere she told me that probably the only place useful for her is the Esselunga, without any doubts she isn’t intrested to take a coffe here.

Finally we end the walk. Checking where she go, she seems to continue her walking on Trees Library park.

11

Blinded Walks

Doruntina going Blind Starting from Moscova square, with my eyes covered we wanted to experience the same path in different way, the so called ‘blind experience’. All the way long I was accompanied by my colleague who I really trusted and we choose the left side to reach Garibaldi Station.

At the beginning I was really afraid to walk, not secure at my steps and it was strange feeling how I perceived the space without my sense of seeing. I felt everything, the pavement, they were different textures, the noise it was so heavy when I heard a truck or a machine working, the scent of the people passing by, the wind somewhere was normal and somewhere heavy wind.

At the left side that I was experiencing, they were mainly stores, I barely felt the smell of the food, but when we were at Starbucks I really felt the strong smell of the coffee and some people chatting. Moreover, the space at the beginning was crowd and narrow at those moments I felt anxious and insecure in a dark space, because the space was in shadow.

When we reached the Catholic Church, I was feeling good, as in an open space, the wind was normal, I heard some noises here and there like people talking, some bikes, the conditioner. Afterwards when we had to cross the street I was feeling anxious again, the noise of cars passing the street was strong because the pavement was with texture, people around me waiting and talking, some strong scents of both men and women.

When we reached Porta Garibaldi I felt the dark light and something like a structure over me, the different sound of my voice while I was explaining my feelings, the acoustic changes, but in general I felt good as in open space because the traffic was not as loud as the previous cross.

Going through Corso Como I felt the noise of people drinking, eating outside, the noise of glasses, the smell of food, then some bike and scoter noise. When I was at the small Park I feel the calm and in the background the noise of people talking, the closed doors of cars, than we reached the street and the traffic lights. Whenever I heard the traffic noise I was afraid, I felt the tall buildings of Gau Aulenti near me and at the left side an open space.

12

Blinded Walks

Andres turn to go Blind The experience of being blind, guided by other person and follow the same path let us to perceived the space from other senses.

With this context, around Moscova station he felt the sounds of the tables outside mixing with the vehicles and some bicycles in the piazza. Also the smell was particular enjoyable because the pasticceria in the corner and some aperitivo places.

Following the path, he chose the right sidewalk because felt it more safe and continuous. In this part were a lot of noise related with a crane working but also from the people that were walking around.

Arriving to the church, the feeling of the space changed completely in contrast with the closed street from Moscova station. In this part, the smell was more neutral, the wind was blowing and he felt an open space emerged.

Going close to the main street, the sound of the vehicles started to be intense, and the smell of food and sense of security disappeared. Crossing the street felt dangerous, taking into account the small fragment of the space that has continuity without differences in the sidewalk. In the other side, the texture of the floor was different from the rest of the path, it felt less comfortable with a lot of little lumps.

Walking in the Corso Como, the sense of closeness of the building emerged because the sound of the people talking were closer than before. Also in this segment, the smell of food popped up again from the restaurants and tables in the street accompanied by banging around some dishes sound.

Arriving to the Piazza Gae Aulenti, the feeling was mostly the same than the described in the church area: more comfortable place, with the sense of security and quite place, with a strong wind and no specific smell.

13

Random Situations

Stalking the Priest

14

Acting normal around him

Random Situations

Different interests

Dancing the mirror

15

Random Situations

16

Matching the Poster

Conclusion Does people make the space?

As we have explained in the introduction we have choosen to develope this exsercise in 3 different methodological approach: the spontaneus walk, the controlled walk and the sensitive walk. For each of them we can underline some common aspects and some reflections.

Regarding the first case, the spontaneus way, we have choosed this type of approach to understand the real use of the area which is caractherized by different type of people. Moreover, it was intresting to observe the relationishp between the same space in different ways with different people. In fact even if the area was the same, each of them showed different approach and diffrent interes through the walk. On one hand we had some people that were more interested in stores and shopping, regarding this view we noticed different patterns of preferences, for instance some were more focused at foot stores, clothes, food restaurants and so on. On the other hand the others just passed through the street without paying attention to the sourrounding but reaching the final destination.

The second method is the “classic” way to conduct this type of work, so starting to Moscova, we asked to some people to describe their feellings when they walk through.

Furthermore, in this case we noticed that there are different type of perceptions of the same place, this is because of their different background, their culture, religion that in some case might ‘shaped’ their point of view. Someone gave us more technical analysis, putting interes more to the space and the surraounding rather then their feelings, other observed also the people that are in the area.

Our final approach was to have a total different point of views of the commented walk, actually in this case the point of view does not exist at all.

We was inspired by Jean-Paul Thibaud paper who give some istructions related to the description: “ commented city walks approach is to gain access to the in situ sensory experience of passers-by […] all sensory modalities can be used: visual, acoustic, tactile, heat, olfactory, kinaesthetic, etc.”. Regarding this we asked ourselfs how could it be the interpretation of this space with all of the senses except the most inluential one, the eyes. Hence we decided that 2 of us, that aready knew the area, to do the same walk but with closed eyes, and the experience was totally different. They felt every sound louder than with open eyes, they even heard every word people said passing by, the changing of the pavement

17

Conclusion

Final map with the patterns and stops of the observed walks

18