Piazzale Selinunte

Nestled in the heart of Milan’s San Siro district lies Piazzale Selinunte. It’s more a piazza than a piazzale, defying Milan’s sometimes confusing toponymy. Piazzale Selinunte is a rectangular space softened by rounded corners. Buildings frame the perimeter, their ground floors hosting a variety of shops. Sidewalks encircle the square, bordering a relatively quiet circular road. The square itself is almost entirely filled by a park, shaded by tall, leafy trees. At the park’s center stands a striking brick tower. This is the former thermal power plant, its height a canvas for a vibrant mural that stretches fifteen meters skyward, a colorful obelisk. Piazzale Selinunte offers many gathering spots. There’s a basketball court, a small playground with swings, benches under the trees, and a popular, ethnically diverse bar. A striking feature is the minimalist facade of the covered municipal market. It offers low-priced food items. Its pastel colors and slightly retro style give it an almost childlike quality. Behind the market stretches the long parking lot of Viale Aretusa, flanked by rows of public housing. These buildings create a somewhat grey, Eastern European “prospekt” feel. Piazzale Selinunte and its market are frequented almost exclusively by immigrants. Arabic is the most commonly heard language. Decades ago, these same buildings housed a different immigrant population. These were families from Southern Italy. The name “Selinunte” itself refers to an ancient Greek city in Sicily, destroyed by neighboring Segesta. Interestingly, another square in the district, just a hundred meters away, bears the name “Segesta”. These buildings are owned by Aler, Milan’s public housing authority. Aler’s presence is visible throughout the city. They are particularly prominent in the suburbs and especially in San Siro. These houses are sometimes occupied illegally by immigrants in need, leading to periodic evictions. These evictions are often met with resistance from local neighborhood committees. Piazzale Selinunte embodies the essence of a true piazza. Perhaps not the cleanest, but certainly a lively hub within the community. In the midst of Piazzale Selinunte, the tall tower of the former thermal power plant has transformed into a massive canvas. It displays a striking graffito. The area surrounding this square, a vital hub in San Siro’s public housing area, is increasingly adorned with street art. Over time, the Aler houses here have become home to successive waves of immigrants. First came those from Southern Italy. Then, about twenty years ago, Egyptian immigrants arrived. They are now so integrated that they run various businesses. These range from bars and restaurants to hair salons and even clothing stores. They have a tradition of socializing outdoors. They, along with their many lively children, fill the small parks until late in the evening. Numerous public initiatives have sought to revitalize the area. These efforts are thanks to the involvement of Mapping, a research initiative from the Politecnico di Milano. Alfabeti Onlus, a long-standing organization teaching Italian to new immigrants, and other Italian and foreign associations have also contributed.