Institutional portal - Municipality of Milan

Until Tuesday 16th, citizens' bottles become art to protect the environment. Participation open to all 
Milan, July 13 2019 – Milan is increasingly attentive to the environment and to combating the abandonment of plastics. It was the councilor for Labor Policies, Productive Activities and Commerce, Cristina Tajania, who started "Clean the Oceans Pavilion" this morning in Piazza del Cannone by placing the first plastic bottle, a small gesture to raise awareness and build together with all the people of Milan the first collaborative artistic installation to combat plastic in the oceans. 
The project was born from the partnership between SUPER - Scuola Superiore d'Arte Applied of the Municipality of Milan and the Thaiall(zone) studio, promoted by adidas and created with the patronage of the Municipality of Milan and the collaboration of Coripet.  
“Thanks to this installation, art and innovation come together, contributing to expanding the actions of the 'Milan Plastic Free' project promoted by the Administration which intends to make our city the first Italian reality to limit and eliminate the use of single-use plastics. An artistic installation born from the collaboration of all Milanese people who, with a small gesture, such as bringing a single plastic bottle here, can help promote virtuous attitudes and behaviors capable of changing the habits of all of us. Behaviors that we hope can spread successfully throughout the city, contributing to the protection of the environment and the oceans." Thus commented the councilor for Labor Policies, Productive Activities and Commerce, Cristina Tajani.  
“adidas has decided to promote the creation of this original artistic installation in the center of Milan - comments Irene Larcher, Senior Director Brand Activation adidas - to underline our commitment to the fight against ocean plastic pollution and the objectives we have set ourselves as a company by 2024. After the great participation in "Run for the Oceans" last June 19, also on this occasion the three-striped brand calls people to take concrete action and reiterates the importance of a constant commitment to raise people's awareness of a topic of global relevance such as the protection of our planet". 
From today to 16 July, all citizens are invited to participate in the construction of the installation to transform the most common liquid container, the plastic bottle, into a pavilion, a symbol of the commitment to the fight against pollution. Anyone can contribute by collecting and bringing their bottles to Piazza del Cannone. 
For the occasion, SUPER invited one of the most important international artistic and designer collectives, allzone (a globally recognized Thai studio sensitive to the issue of sustainability), to design the structure: a large concentric labyrinth made up of approximately 19.000 plastic bottles of all shapes and sizes, some even filled with small plants. To start recovering the bottles, SUPER has activated a widespread collection throughout the city in recent weeks, involving institutions, bars, hotels, gyms, condominiums and free citizens, inviting them to keep their bottles for the construction of the work. Among the supporters is the Young Adults Department of the Milan San Vittore “Francesco di Cataldo” prison, whose inmates have undertaken to collect the bottles consumed within the department. 
“Clean the Oceans Pavilion” is not only an installation but also an opportunity for discussion and dialogue on the issues of environmental protection thanks to the creative workshops curated by the LopLop cultural association and dedicated to the little ones: inspired by the works created by Veronika Richetrova, an exponent of Pet Art, marine-themed aerial sculptures are created which, when assembled, will create an immersive path under the trees (13-16 July, times: 10.30-12.30; 15.30-18.30). 
The “Clean the Oceans Pavilion” project does not end with the end of the installation on 16 July: the 19.000 bottles will, in fact, be recycled and transformed into new bottles by Coripet, a consortium recognized by the Ministry of the Environment, which was created with the aim to create a true circular economy project. Coripet not only intends to increase the number of bottles collected, but wants to make R-PET available that companies can use to make new bottles and thus contribute to saving raw materials and energy.