After nine years of waiting, postponements and design rethinks, Freud Square is ready to turn over a new leaf. By June, according to an announcement by Rete Ferroviaria Italiana, work will be completed on the redevelopment of the space in front of Garibaldi station, one of the city’s main access nodes. In place of the former concrete parking lot, for years a symbol of decay, an urban square will be created: a pool of water in the center, flower beds, trees and large pedestrian areas.
An intervention of about three million euros, financed with funds from the NRP, which aims to improve accessibility, safety and quality of public space in an area crossed every day by thousands of commuters, travelers and residents.
From the parking lot to the square
The new layout completely redesigns circulation. The road system will be reduced in favor of pedestrian paths, with a large sidewalk along the station front. Cabs, motorcycles and loading and unloading of goods will have dedicated spaces, while a “kiss and ride” area designed for short stops will remain to the north. Car and bike sharing stations, bicycle racks and bicycle and pedestrian paths complete the picture.
The idea is to restore urban continuity to a spot that for too long has functioned as a mere transit area. The presence of water and greenery aims to create a more welcoming and less hostile environment, capable of inviting people to stop and not just transit.
Safety and quality of space
Special attention was paid to lighting, a central element in an area often at the center of petty crime incidents. The new public lighting, along with the increased visibility of the spaces, aims to make the square safer in the evening hours, when the flow of passengers remains high.
Light commercial areas will also find a place on the wide sidewalk, with dehors and eateries designed to enliven the square throughout the day. A choice that aims to counteract the sense of urban emptiness that has characterized this space for years.
A piece of the new Milan
The redevelopment of Piazza Freud is part of a larger project launched in 2009, which has gradually reconnected the Porta Nuova, Garibaldi and Isola neighborhoods around the Library of Trees. An urban mosaic that in the last fifteen years has radically transformed the face of this area, making it one of the symbols of contemporary Milan.
The history of this construction site, however, also tells of the chronic difficulties of public works: the agreement between the municipality, Rfi and Fs Sistemi Urbani dates back to 2017, with completion scheduled for 2021. Only in summer 2024, amid design revisions and slowdowns, did the bulldozers really get into action.
Now the goal is to finally close a long transitional phase. If promises are kept, Freud Square can become not only a more dignified gateway to Garibaldi Station, but also a new urban relationship space where mobility, safety and environmental quality finally find a balance. It is a long-awaited achievement that measures the city’s ability to transform its voids into places to live.
