One of the major challenges cities face, exacerbated by global warming, is the presence of urban heat islands (UHI). These are areas where temperatures are significantly higher than in surrounding regions — sometimes even harmful to human health. Such areas can include walkways, bus stops, avenues, and squares, which become nearly uninhabitable during the hottest months of the year.
During the 2024 Fuorisalone, the first edition of Linee d’Ombra – Vivere la piazza, conceived by architects and journalists Alessandra Mauri and Giuliana Zoppis, raised awareness about the increasing urban heat islands and the square as a social space to also discuss waste management in cities through the redevelopment of open-air neighborhood markets. We interviewed Alessandra Mauri and Giuliana Zoppis to better understand what Linee d’Ombra is and how it works to promote innovative solutions.
What is BEST UP, and how did the Linee d’Ombra model come about?
BEST UP is an association (now an APS, or Social Promotion Association) founded 16 years ago to raise awareness on sustainable living, “from the spoon to the city.” Linee d’Ombra emerged as a permanent workshop led by the two of us, in collaboration with other like-minded associations. Prompted by a constant and critical observation of the urban context—particularly in Milan, where we live and work—we noticed that despite increasingly evident climate change, the city continues to be designed as if it were fifty years ago.
What do you mean by the term “wrong squares”?
Wrong squares are public spaces designed without considering that urban summer temperatures can now reach 36–37°C (97–99°F). Without natural or structural shade, these areas turn into uninhabitable heat islands. Examples include Piazza San Babila, Largo Augusto, Piazza Cordusio, Largo Beltrami, and the Darsena. The walkway along Via D’Annunzio is exposed to the sun all day, with entirely mineral surfaces. In such areas, from June to September, no one dares to linger during peak heat hours, and those who do risk heat exhaustion.
Moreover, the retaining walls in the Darsena are made of brick, a material that absorbs daytime heat and releases it in the evening, making temperatures uncomfortably high even at night. This can negatively impact the water quality, fostering algae growth. As a first step, we’ve chosen to focus on shade as an accessible resource, a public health necessity, and a design mandate for architects and urban planners.
Are there examples in Italy of squares that demonstrate proper design?
Italy is lagging behind, but some cities have begun addressing this issue. For instance, Cagliari and Genoa have started implementing interventions with this in mind. The most notable recent examples, however, are in Paris. The square in front of Notre-Dame Cathedral was redesigned with specific bioclimatic criteria, and eight other squares have been extensively planted to provide shade for residents. Similar projects can be found in northern Europe and even in places like Singapore, where climate change effects are more extreme.
Linee d’Ombra is a project born from citizen initiatives. What process have you followed over the past year?
We seized the opportunity offered by Milan’s Municipality 5, which invited us to work on Piazza Olivetti, a new square behind the Fondazione Prada. The square is two-thirds planted and one-third paved. We reached out to associations, businesses, and retailers sensitive to this issue and involved them in a project during Milan Design Week 2024 (highlights can be found on Instagram). During the recent Green Week, we organized a seminar on urban design in the era of climate change, featuring diverse voices and expertise, resulting in practical solutions. We’re now compiling video and written documentation to share the outcomes of this fruitful exchange among experts and technicians.
What is the goal of the Manifesto you’ve launched?
The Manifesto, currently being refined (as we continue to gather feedback from our meetings), aims to urge public administrations to revise ongoing projects based on insights from climate change observations. We’ve noticed that different departments don’t communicate effectively, nor do they engage with municipalities or scientific agencies studying air and climate.
Moreover, many current projects were approved over a decade ago under different governments. It’s worth noting that Milan’s nine municipalities have been under center-left governance for only two terms, whereas the center-right, which tends to be more climate-change skeptical, dominated previously.
Despite this, an outdated approach to urban design persists, one that ignores climate challenges and operates in silos. For instance, take the recent developments around the exits of the new metro line. It’s crucial for projects to involve not just engineers from the transport authority or architects from the Urban Regeneration Department but also agronomists, landscape architects, and environmental engineers. Above all, the voices of citizens, who know and live in the city daily, must be heard.
What are your next steps?
In the coming months, we’ll focus on concrete actions to prove that it can be done! Specifically, we aim to show that even existing projects can be improved with the help of enlightened private sponsors willing to fund initiatives that enhance public well-being. The future looks scorching, and urban life in summer is becoming unbearable. We need to act swiftly and decisively!
Linee d’Ombra invites us to rethink cities in a more sustainable way, transforming public spaces into livable and social places. The project demonstrates that change is possible through active collaboration between citizens, administrations, and professionals, with shade as the first, simple step to improve urban quality of life. The challenge is to make these ideas an integral part of urban planning so that the cities of the future can be more welcoming and healthier for all. For more information and to stay updated on initiatives, follow the Instagram profile @linee.dombra!
