Human-Centered Urban Design through the rehabilitation of public spaces in Milans historic districts

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This article analyzes adapted public spaces within the historical districts of Milan—„Vesta“and „Apple Piazza Liberty“—in the context of architectural strategies that transform the city into a human-oriented and healthy urban environment. „Urban Health“ has become one of the key priorities of contemporary architectural practice. [2] [1] Growing evidence confirms that the physical structure of buildings and public spaces directly influences human psychological, emotional, and social well-being. In this regard, Milan represents a particularly significant case study. Two distinct yet conceptually interconnected examples—“Apple Piazza Liberty”, where a historic square is reinterpreted as a contemporary urban amphitheater ( Foster + Partners, 2018) [3], and “Vesta”, a semi-public social platform located along the historic Brera street (Belingardi, 2022) —share a common architectural logic, a new architectural paradigm, respect for the cultural-historical context, spatial strategies, and a tangible impact on urban well-being.

A comparative analysis of “Vesta” (designed by Stefano Belingardi) and “Apple Piazza Liberty” (designed by Foster + Partners) reveals their strong conceptual relationship with urban health, specifically within the framework of healthy peacemaking and urban well-being [4] [5]. Both projects exemplify contemporary urban approaches in which architectural concepts actively support social well-being. In both cases, spatial-volumetric structure, transparency, openness, visual and acoustic connections with nature, and location within a dense urban context create intermediate, restful indoor–outdoor spaces—a pause between the “city” and the “human.” [1]

Such spaces play a crucial role in mental health by enabling psychological relief from the accelerated rhythm of urban life, fostering a sense of refuge, facilitating informal and spontaneous social interactions, and encouraging exploration and discovery. [5] The analysis demonstrates that despite differing functions (restaurant and store), both spaces are united by shared principles: human-scale design, openness, microclimatic comfort, and the promotion of social interaction. Both projects achieve a balance between history and contemporaneity, prioritizing physical, social, and mental well-being.

Thus, Milan’s contemporary urban transformations are not solely the result of large-scale projects but also of the introduction of a new architectural paradigm within historical districts through small-scale public spaces that reinforce the relationship between public space, public life, and urban health (peacemaking / urban well-being). [5]