Naked CITY

Publisher and musician

Milan is a flat city, with the white sky in wintertime and sultry asphalt in the summertime. The massive buildings in the centre of the city look austere, sober and harshly decorative. They are there to stay.

My initial impression of this city was of its sense of stability and continuity. Milan stands in front of the people like a charming lady, not beautiful on the outside but attractive because of her intelligence and capacity to live her present. The city may not be glamourous but the interiors are designed to be functional and aesthetic; never too sumptuous, with a light and depth that the environment deny.

This is probably why a city with such a pragmatic relationship with the environment needs to feed itself with different cultures. Whereas others Italian cities like Venice, Rome and Florence reflect their history to the outside world, Milan needs a relationship with somebody. More than any other city in Italy, Milan represents the Italians, and has always been the most cosmopolitan. It gives opportunity to be real, does not haunt the changes without being fancy and still gives you a lot of space to be intimate. You might also say it is a transient city; people coming and going without a real heart for it, but nevertheless you will have a feeling that it will never be the same.