Piazza Gae Aulenti, Modern square in Porta Nuova district, Milan, Italy
Piazza Gae Aulenti is a circular plaza in the Porta Nuova district of Milan, Italy, built about 6 meters (20 feet) above street level with a large water feature and cascades across multiple tiers. The central basin is surrounded by modern skyscrapers, and the square includes shops, cafés, and public seating areas that have become a gathering place for passersby and residents.
The square opened in December 2012 as part of the Porta Nuova district redevelopment, one of the largest urban projects in Europe during the 2000s. It was named after Gae Aulenti, an Italian architect best known for converting the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, who passed away in 2012.
The plaza takes its name from an Italian architect and sits at the heart of the city's most modern business district, where office workers spend lunch breaks and tourists wander between buildings. The surrounding towers of glass and steel reflect in the central water basin, creating a feeling that you are in a completely different city from historic Milan.
The square is within walking distance of Garibaldi railway station and connected to the rest of the city by several metro lines. Shops, restaurants, and a supermarket are located directly on the plaza or in the adjacent buildings, making the entire area easy to explore on foot.
Three oval cascades in the central pool channel daylight into the shops and stations below, naturally lighting the underground spaces. The sound of flowing water also helps to soften traffic noise from the surrounding streets, creating a quieter setting on the square.
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