Piazza della Scala is one of the most significant squares of Milan for its historical importance and central positioning. It houses administrative and political institutions along with religious and cultural sites in a concentrated area;  the main buildings overlooking Piazza della Scala include the Palazzo Marino, the famous Teatro alla Scala, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele – which connects Piazza della Scala with Piazza Duomo, and the recently opened museum Gallerie d’Italia.

The competition held by the municipality of Milan is to develop a new concept that would improve the value of the space in the city.

– Enhancing of the square and its symbolic value to the city.

– Reinforcing the relationship between the surrounding buildings and the square by highlighting the cultural value of the establishments.

– Improving the quality of the urban space by focusing on the pedestrian mobility and by rerouting the traffic flow.

MHZ developed a concept with a limited traffic area around the entire square to allow people to move around freely with direct access to the theater and the surrounding buildings. The existing statue remains as a focal point of the square, while technical display screens showing tourists information and cultural events are installed around the center.

The flooring is enhanced by graphic signage to lead people on a cultural exploration towards the various museums in the area. Piazza della Scala acts as the epicenter, it is where the paths for these destinations will naturally spread out to different walkways that ideally will unify Palazzo Reale, the museum del Novecento with the Poldi Pezzoli Museum, the House of Manzoni and the Pinacoteca di Brera.