From a marginalized area, to the liveliest and most interesting of the city: here's what to expect from a walk in the Northern district of Milan.
Milan is a city in constant evolution e the Isola District he knows this very well because, in recent years, it has transformed from a marginalized area into one of the most fascinating in the whole city.
The Isola district is located in north of Milan and its name refers to the particular condition that the area lived, "isolated" from the rest of the city from the Garibaldi Station.
The change of the Isola neighborhood
In recent years the district has undergone a strong process of artistic and cultural change, remaining away from the chaos of the city but well connected to the center thanks to the new metro line (The M5, the only fully automated without driver!)
The modern Piazza Gae Aulenti
A walk around Isola can only start from most modern area of the district, the one that has given a new face not only to the neighborhood but to the entire city: Piazza Gae Aulenti.
Inaugurated in December 2012, the square is an urban complex - the work of the Argentine Cesar Pelli - dedicated to the Italian architect Gae Aulenti.
The square is surrounded by several buildings, but the most striking is undoubtedly there Unicredit Tower; the skyscraper, with its 23 meters high, is the highest of Italya.
The square, raised six meters above street level, is particularly popular with adults and children on hot summer days for its fountains with water features.
Piazza Gae Aulenti is joined by a pedestrian walkway to Corso Como, one of the most famous streets in Milan home to numerous restaurants, bars and trendy shops.
The Vertical Forest
Once we have visited the famous square, let's move on to the visit (only external) of the Vertical Forest, now symbol of the Isola district.
The Vertical Forest is a complex of two residential buildings designed by Stefano Boeri. The peculiarity of these two constructions are the over 800 different species including floral plants, shrubs and bushes that adorn every single terrace of the buildings.
The result is simply stunning from a visual point of view.
The two large green lungs are also put together perfect example of eco-sustainability: the buildings, in fact, recreate a microclimate, absorbing CO2 and fine dust and recreating oxygen and humidity.
The Little Free Library
In the Isola district, exactly in the pedestrian passage between Via Confalonieri and Via Castilia, the Small Free Library, an outdoor space equipped with wooden tables, shelves and benches.
This new idea of a library is nothing more than a place that collects books and magazines, with the possibility of consulting them on the spot or borrowing them with the commitment to bring them back.
The library, in addition to being a public rest area designed to enjoy a moment of relaxation, is proposed as ideal place to organize workshops, readings and book presentations.
An open-air museum
Our walk to Isola continues to hunt for street art, paintings that fill the walls of the neighborhood. Let's start from the underpass that leads from Garibaldi station to Isola: on the -1 floor there is a very colorful artistic exhibition, created by the pupils of the Boccioni Art School of Milan.
The heart of street art in the Isola area is Via Cola Montano, where we can see The Don Gallery, an art gallery where historical artists and new emerging talents are found.
On a wall of Via Angelo della Pergola there are drawings by great artists such as Microbe and Ozmo, one of the major Italian representatives of street art.
Street art in Isola is really everywhere, my advice is to get lost in the streets of the neighborhood and sharpen your sight: the next urban work could be hiding around the corner!
