Segantini Park

Information

Town Hall 6
Address: via Segantini, Piazza Belfanti, viale Liguria, via dei Crollalanza, via Argelati
Arrival: always accessible
How to Get There:: MM2 Romolo - bus 47/90/91
Area: 100.900 sqm
Year of realization: 2015
Designer:Green area

What to do at the park

playground;
stroll;
stop and relax;
running and cycling along the avenues;
2 dog areas;
bamboo grove;
shared vegetable gardens managed together with the ecological natural oasis by the association Segantini

The park in brief

The Segantini park, in the heart of the Navigli, was created with a project participated by the citizens. This area hosted the Milanese Sieroterapico Institute, founded in 1896 by prof. Belfanti for the production of vaccines, and closed in 1993. The west and north sides of the Park are delimited by the Boniforti Roggia, surrounded by dense spontaneous vegetation in which some rare tree species live. The spontaneous plants, the pre-existing trees, guided the design of the park.

The paving of the paths is in concrete, the rest areas are in natural stone and grassy porphyry.

History and Architecture

This area hosted the Milanese Serotherapy Institute founded in 1896 by prof. Serafino Belfanti. Intended for research, the production of anti-diphtheria serum and other vaccines, it was closed in 1993.
Today it is an interesting example of reconversion of use: the historic buildings, examples of industrial archaeology, host prestigious organizations while new residential buildings arise on the edges of the 100.900 mXNUMX urban park.
The park is also home to the Cascina Argelati, which is scheduled for recovery.

The creation of the park made it possible to complete a large system of green areas connected to each other. The park intercepts the Green Ray n. 6 which crosses the South-West area of the city, connecting it with the Darsena, the S. Ambrogio district, the Teramo Park, the Rice Field Park up to the South Agricultural Park. The network of tree-lined avenues and existing and planned cycle-pedestrian paths are designed as a green system connecting the parks: Baden Powell, Argelati, Segantini, Baravalle, Bocconi campus, Ravizza up to "Porta Romana". The park has a strong naturalistic vocation thanks to the presence of the Boniforti Roggia, part of the city's waterway system.

The project Conceived by Michel Desvigne and developed by Area Verde e Agricoltura, has a design that develops from East to West through parallel and diversified areas: first the tree-lined green belt, parallel to Via Segantini, an extension of the urban plot that wedges in the greenery through the new residential buildings, then the actual park, finally the naturalistic area along the banks of the canal.

The double tree-lined backdrop made up of the new row of Prunus pado along Via Segantini and the avenue of lime trees, announces the presence of a green area and reconstitutes an urban front, leaving the traffic and noise of the city behind to enter the size of the park and the "green rooms".

The heart of the park: the "Clearing", which extends to the naturalistic area and where some large trees (lime trees, plane trees, walnuts) are planted to accentuate the perception of an open area of exceptional dimensions for a city like Milan.
Finally, the new wooded area along the Boniforti canal, an area to be preserved through a delicate intervention of environmental recovery and enhancement of biodiversity through the use of botanical associations typical of the woods of the Po Valley and the banks of the "Bassa" canals. The areas created with recycled road stones are located at the connections of the main and secondary routes.

The spontaneous plants, the pre-existing trees, have guided some design choices in the design of the park and in the identification of the species to be re-proposed. The lime tree, in different varieties, with its scent and characteristic bright dark green foliage, enhances the access avenue from Piazza Belfanti, as represented in the nineteenth-century print of the Sieroterapico, some rest areas and the perspective towards the church beyond the Naviglio. The tree species characterize the physiognomy of the place and perform an ecological function in continuity with the naturalistic area (plane trees, oaks, maples, Prunus, alders, ash trees, poplars and elms, Cercis); the row of Sophora shades the residential buildings of via Segantini.

The excellences are some elements rediscovered or introduced into the area: the perspective view towards the church of S. Maria delle Grazie al Naviglio; the bamboo grove in which a recreational trail can be created and educational signs placed; the Boniforti Roggia, a true naturalistic jewel where mallards, gray herons, moorhens and other animals find hospitality; the carved “trunk” of a removed plant: the first “stone” laid; the "edible" shared gardens "food for the body or mind?", three gardens (yellow, blue and white; white and red); created with plant associations composed of food, decorative, dyeing and medicinal plants (created and managed by the Parco Segantini Association together with the Municipality).

In relation to economic resources, routes, trees and equipment will be completed. The park will be equipped with wireless connection and will host cultural, ephemeral and experimental events, artistic or land art installations with the contribution of the city. The fenced play area, organized with areas differentiated by age group, will host natural-looking structures, picnic areas, lawns in full sun and tree-lined areas for free play.

Joint project and implementation The Segantini park, an example of active participation of the community in the construction of a new public space: the Municipality, involving citizens, the Parco Segantini Association, Italia Nostra Onlus, schools such as: NABA, ITIS G.Giorgi ; has developed an innovative design model for the construction, management and use of the park: an opportunity for shared growth to understand how much care and respect a living system requires and how important everyone's participation is.

Special thanks to Danilo Fant who participated in the construction of the park.