Streets, empty palaces, offices and buildings, sidewalks, parks and bus stops.
All was built for the city and by the city, which is eventually, us.
Nevertheless few times I felt that the space surrounding me was a free and alterable space,
most of the times I only saw two approaches to the streets : a rigid and sterile conformity
- valid until a change comes from above - or a provocative disrespect - bottles left on the ground, tags, cigarettes - still objects witnessing a deeper need of interaction with the grey space of the city.
An ongoing performance of the urban compression.
Quite predictably, here comes the exception..take a walk along the channels in Amsterdam,
or sip a beer while hunting the Mitte in Berlin for a vintage hat, take pictures in the botanic gardens of Stockholm etc
The least common denominator will be the creativity and the familiarity with which individuals interact and dialogue with the streets and public spaces, which turn them into common spaces to be lived and shared.
This results into that cool, artsy and innovative spirit that each Milanese longs for breathing while standing in a Easyjet line before boarding.
One little point remains obscure to me : fine with the fact that Northen Europeans rock in terms of interior design, weather explains it all...but isn't it a little contradictory when it comes to public space?
What countries better than Italy, Spain, Greece (sure, the Troika's favourite trio) could offer the perfect temperatures to live and shape the common spaces into an intimate, innovative and creative dimension?
Some steps have been taken, mainly during major touristic and art events, but there is still a long way to go before we'll see flowers growing into an old pair of All Stars decorating the stairs of a Church in Brera...too much?
Enjoy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwIqTTRSjKg
