presentation held during tht #wccscotland 2016 in Inverness - the revival of Milan's city dock

2. 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 )
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 )
Map of Milan 1884

5. 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. 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 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 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

10. Recent years
2004
After years of neglect
use and
abandonment
the Milan City
Council announces
an International
Design Competition
Aerial view of the ‘90s

11. The Darsena at that time

12. administrative troubles &
10 long years of
abandonment

13. Drawings from the winning project – Bodin & Associates Paris

14. Drawings from the winning project – Bodin & Associates Paris

15. 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

17. Works lasted
about 18 months

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.

19. April 26, 2015
The "Darsena effect”
80,000 registered visitors on
the re-opening day,

20. April 26, 2015
The "Darsena effect”
80,000 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
equipped platforms on mobile / floating pontoons in the Darsena & the Cube

22. equipped platforms on mobile / floating pontoons in the Darsena

23. equipped platforms on mobile / floating pontoons in the Darsena

24. 4 pontoons for
private sponsors
• Conditions
detailed in a
“public call for
private sponsor”
 electricity, water,
cleaning&securit
y services
guaranteed
 Advertising and
commercial
activities
authorized

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.

26. 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

28. Total amount from private sponsores in 2015
for activities in Darsena
> € 750.000

29. Festival
Lands and Colors of Lombardy
Promoting territories

30. Festival
Lands and Colors of Lombardy
Promoting territories

31. Festival
Lands and Colors of Lombardy

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

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

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."

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”

37. The Darsena Christmas Village

38. 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

40. What in 2016?
A year dedicated to sports

41. A year dedicated to sports

42. A year dedicated to sports

43. A year dedicated to sports

44. A year dedicated to sports

45. A year dedicated to sports

46. A year dedicated to sports

47. A year dedicated to sports

48. A year dedicated to sports –
UEFA European football championship

49. A year dedicated to sports
Summer Village

50. A year dedicated to sports
Summer Village

51. A year dedicated to sports
Summer Village

52. A year dedicated to sports
Summer Village

53. A year dedicated to sports –
Formula 1 Monza GP & Martini Racing - Williams

54. A year dedicated to sports … & relax

55. A year dedicated to sports … & relax

56. A year dedicated to sports & relax
Summer Village

57. 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

58. You can find more pics here
https://www.facebook.com
/navigli.lombardi/
photos
Thank you!
See you again
in Milan,
Claudio