Milano Cortina 2026: A Cultural and Urban Disappointment

Massimiliano Tonelli, writing for Artribune, delivers a scathing critique of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, focusing on their urban and cultural legacy. He argues that the Games lack genuine cultural planning, unlike the 2006 Turin Olympics, which mobilized museums and theaters (e.g., Luca Ronconi's five-play project). In Milan, few institutions have engaged meaningfully. Tonelli laments the absence of permanent cultural infrastructure: no new ice skating rink, no public art, and no lasting architectural additions except temporary structures. He criticizes the proliferation of kitsch temporary pavilions in key squares (Piazza Duomo, San Babila) by sponsors, contrasting them with Turin's 2006 Medals Plaza designed by Giò Forma and Italo Rota. The urban space has seen no improvements—no new pedestrian zones, bike lanes, or restored monuments. Schools were closed for the torch relay, and young people are priced out of events (tickets costing hundreds of euros). Tonelli predicts the Games will mark a phase of decline rather than the launchpad Turin experienced.