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In a town with no definite center, like Rozzano, the need for spatial and human connections can be felt by residents and non-residents, adults and children, community and administration, as well as architects and designers. But connections can be improved where there are empty spaces. Working with an area comprising a square, schools, and two public parks, Atelier(s) Alfonso Femia and 967arch designed Pop Hub Ronzano, a project that leverages the three community elements of a park, a market, and a square to create new meeting and social spaces for the entire community. Before the two studios could put together this project for their client, the Rozzano local government, there was a job of “observation, analysis, and the exchange of ideas that went beyond any one-size-fits-all approach to the physical and social dereliction of cities,” commented architects Cesare Chichi, Stefano Maestri (967arch), and Alfonso Femia.
In an area in which historical memory has been clouded by a recent past that has seen the gradual impoverishment of the social fabric because of a rapid increase in population and other factors, the architects felt they needed to do more than just come up with a good project. They also set out to create the right conditions to encourage the whole community to interact outside their homes. In the words of 967arch, the aim was “to use architecture to trigger feelings of belonging, respect, love, and pride in one’s own places,” helping local people see these places as part of a shared sense of identity and shake off feelings of their temporariness. Concerning this last point, although downtown Rozzano has a town hall, schools, and two public parks with 86 acres (350,000 m2) of green spaces, there’s an absence of history: everything has been “temporary” for quite some time, with temporary prefabricated structures replacing earlier temporary prefabricated structures. Despite this, the town is an important center internationally for medical research, with a university with high numbers of students from around the world. It’s also a hub for advancing architectural and automotive culture. Rozzano has even inspired works by numerous artists and musicians.
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The project by Atelier(s) Alfonso Femia and 967arch, whose completion is scheduled for 2026, involves the construction of a retail building and a circular canopy encompassing the volumes, activity areas, and open spaces. The latter will be divided into an internal circular courtyard, the church square, and a linear park between Piazza del Municipio and Via delle Mimose. While the three areas will intersect, each will have its own distinct urban and social function.
These multiple connections and series of spaces with different functions are the key to creating an empathetic relationship between the town hall, greenery, and the new additions, while minimizing any lack of balance among them. The market, to occupy a single level near the existing supermarket, will also play a key role in the transformation of the space.
“This project is the follow through on a promise and a gesture of love for the city of Rozzano,” said Mayor Gianni Ferretti. “With time, it will characterize the downtown area and make it more usable, attractive, and safe for the benefit of the whole community.” What is being created here is an urban space devoted to community, including the artistic community, with areas dedicated to music and street art. This dialogue between urban planning and art is also reflected in the design of the micro-perforated sheet metal façade to be applied to the blind wall of the supermarket. It will be painted with a washable, scratch-resistant paint to form a canvas for artists and a projection screen. The internal courtyard will also be used for shows and small theatrical presentations. The space under the canopy will be ideal for street markets and small events.
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Particular attention was paid to the greenery and parkland, with the existing trees to be retained and a new ecological dynamism to be created through a replanting program.
Location: Rozzano, Italy
Architects: Atelier(s) Alfonso Femia, 967arch
Consultants
Structures: Gian Alberto Beretta
Plant Equipment: STAIN engineering
Landscape: Michelangelo Pugliese
Render by and courtesy of Atelier(s) Alfonso Femia and 967arch
