Milano si depavimenta: sta per arrivare un nuovo giardino per tenere insieme sostenibilità e cultura
Construction will begin in the coming weeks on Giardino Manifesto, an urban regeneration project at the historic Milanese cultural space Santeria Toscana 31. Presented on May 19, 2026, with Mayor Giuseppe Sala, Gruppo CAP President Yuri Santagostino, and architect Cristiana Cutrona of ReValue, the initiative transforms a fully paved external area into a green infrastructure applying sponge city (SUDS) principles. The design includes rain gardens, drainage surfaces, a rain-collecting amphitheater, and a sensory garden, aiming to reduce flood risk and lower perceived temperatures by up to 4-5°C through de-paving and resilient vegetation.
This project matters because it demonstrates a hybrid public-private model for climate adaptation in dense urban settings, where cultural institutions take on environmental infrastructure roles. By integrating sustainability with cultural programming—extending Santeria's artistic activities outdoors—Giardino Manifesto offers a replicable blueprint for how art spaces can lead urban regeneration. The collaboration among Comune di Milano, Gruppo CAP, Fondazione CAP, ReValue, and OurCarbon, with an investment exceeding one million euros, signals a growing trend of cultural venues becoming active agents in climate resilience.