San Siro as a public square: rethinking the stadium's future

The article proposes transforming Milan's San Siro stadium into a public urban space rather than demolishing it, drawing inspiration from a 2005 event organized by Domus and director Stefano Boeri that turned the stadium into a festive piazza. The author, architect Nicola Russi, argues that San Siro should be seen as a collective infrastructure supporting urban memories and experiences, not just an architectural monument. Citing precedents like the Teatro Marcello in Rome and Vann Molyvann's Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh, the piece suggests preserving the stadium's central void and colonizing it with new structures, such as a secret garden inspired by Klaus Littmann's installation in Klagenfurt, Austria, and a linear park along its helical ramps. Demolition would have severe energy and environmental costs, and would erase the monumental value of an urban void discovered only for one night.