greetings from milano

New Museum

2009-11-13T11:14:00.002+01:00

This is the building site of the new museum of modern art in Piazza Duomo. The project is from Italo Rota and should be one of the new attrcactions of Milano during the EXPO 2015.

Moustache

2009-10-29T15:06:00.001+01:00

One of the columns in Via vittorio Emanuele has a moustache. I thought it was rather bizarre.

DREAM

2009-10-28T17:01:00.000+01:00

Never loose your dreams.

Run run run

2009-10-26T15:38:00.002+01:00

Milan is a quite busy city. Even the street artists are in a hurry. Look at this 'living statue'! I love how the tie stays in the air!

Love Design

2009-10-23T12:38:00.003+02:00

Today in the gallery of contemporary art of Milan opened Love Design. For three days famous design companies sell their products with a discount of at least 50%. All benefits are devolved to AIRC, the Italian organisation for Cancer Research.
Let's help them. I bought a lamp.
The logo of Love design is a heart. This picture reminds me to it.

The last sunny days

2009-10-20T10:57:00.003+02:00

Last days the sky was beautifully clear. The pink marble of the restored facade of the duomo was wonderful against the blue sky. And Vittorio Emanuele watched from his horse.

Remember summer

2009-10-19T17:24:00.001+02:00

Some weeks ago in 'Parco Sempione' I assisted to this 'bongo concert'. Notice the concrete stairs with integrated chairs!

NEW OFFICE

2009-10-16T10:28:00.004+02:00

OK. A lot of things changed these months. Summer holidays but more important... we found and opened our new office! I love the floor.

Colourful Manhole

2009-07-16T11:07:00.002+02:00

In the Tortona District the city decided to have the manholes of the street decorated by various artist. This is one of them.

Fontain

2009-07-14T09:32:00.001+02:00

A small fontain in the courtyard of my house is trying to bring some freshness in these hot summer days. I should suggest to the concierge to change the vase!

Neon Dress

2009-07-10T20:18:00.001+02:00

With the high summer temperatures it's better to dress light. Moschino takes it very literally. As always the nicest shop window of Milan.

Green

2009-07-09T10:55:00.002+02:00

I loved the combination of the two tree species: Mespilus (a fruit tree I saw for the first time here in Italy) and an Acer in a beautiful green.

Constructions

2009-07-08T11:36:00.002+02:00

Milan is preparing EXPO 2015.
Besides the buildings that will be made to house the exhibition, other infrastructure is already being build. The new tower of the building of the Region Lombardy, a project by Architect Pei, the one of the Pyramide of the Louvre in Paris, is already higher than its neighbour Pirelli. Until now this was the highest skyscraper in Milan.
In future post I will show you other construction works ongoing.

Office

2009-07-06T10:46:00.001+02:00

We're looking for a new office these days. We saw many ugly things, a lot of very expensive places and some nice ones. I liked the floor of this one...but we did not like the price.

Music

2009-05-27T16:28:00.002+02:00

This is the entrance to the Music Conservatory of Milan . It was founded in 1807 in the cloister of the church of S. Maria della Passione and its surrounding buildings.
Giacomo Puccini is one amoung the famous compositors who studied here.
It's always nice to hear the music in the nearby streets.

Wood

2009-05-26T10:14:00.002+02:00

I loved this wooden door in Via Passione. It's the entrance to a school in a beautiful old building.

A closer look

2009-05-25T18:06:00.002+02:00

This is the façade of Santa Maria della Passione. It is the second biggest church of Milan after the cathedral (il Duomo).
On this website you can have an amazing 3d tour of the inside of the church.

P.S. Today we had 38° Celsius

Passion

2009-05-23T11:34:00.002+02:00

One of the most beautiful streets in Milan has also a beautiful name: Via Passione (Passion street).
Actually it's called like this for the 16th century church at the end of the street, Santa Maria della Passione.

Diet

2009-05-19T10:20:00.002+02:00

I'm back!!! I know, I know, I was away for two (!) years. I suppose because I was lazy.
This time I will not promise you to post every day a picture but I will try to post on regular basis instead. First of all I should go out and take pictures of the city that changed quite a bit in these two years.
First of all this empty plate. Summer is arriving. It's the first time in my life I'm worried about the swimsuit test! So from now on I will pay more attention to what I eat, less pasta, more vegetables.

Another famous architect

2007-09-11T10:05:00.000+02:00

In the Sempione park a slim iron tower touches the sky. This tower was build by Giò Ponti as a publicity tower during the Triennale exhibition of 1933. Now it is a beautiful mirador.

Turin

2007-09-10T23:59:00.000+02:00

Just a corner of my house.
I was in Turin today.
Look at Maiscio's blog to see the pictures of the beautiful teatro Regio by Carlo Mollino. We went to see a ballet by Forsythe.

Renzo

2007-09-08T20:07:00.000+02:00

Last days to see the magnificent exhibition of master Renzo Piano.

Moon

2007-09-07T18:30:00.000+02:00

Today a beautiful moon appeared in the blue sky at 11 a.m.

P.S. People who want to see a bigger picture of the duomo's facade can click here

Rush again

2007-09-05T22:09:00.000+02:00

Amazing how cities change in less than a week.
Last week the city was empty. This morning The streets seemed filled with traffic jams.
But may'be it's the cold wind of the nord that make people rush. Anyway... the sky never seemed so blue.

The result

2007-09-04T09:04:00.000+02:00

My street became blue (visitors) and yellow (residents) lined.

Lines

2007-09-03T10:08:00.000+02:00

They've been traces parking lines in the street under my window.
These are the preparations.

On the right

2007-08-29T14:47:00.000+02:00

His friend on his right side shares his opinion.

End of holidays

2007-08-28T18:17:00.000+02:00

'Oh my god' he seems to say. Holidays are over.

HOLIDAYS

2007-08-05T01:14:00.000+02:00

I leave you with this beautiful facade in Via Brera.
Finally I can enjoy the summer too.
I'm gone to the south of Italy and then to Croazia until the 27th of August.
See you then!

ciao e buone vacanze a tutti!

Shadows

2007-08-01T17:30:00.000+02:00

Having the stores closed for protecting the house of the italian heat these beautiful shadows appear on my ceiling.

Empty

2007-07-31T14:53:00.000+02:00

Another colonnade but definitely more modern.
The city looks quite empty. I seem the only person not in holiday yet.

Banks Power

2007-07-29T12:57:00.000+02:00

Imposing pillars.

Sunbathing

2007-07-26T09:24:00.000+02:00

Napoleon (the sculpture by Canova) must have it hot in the courtyard of Brera.

After Florence, Rome

2007-07-24T17:53:00.000+02:00

This is what I call the Roman corner of Milan.
This little fountain hidden away behinf Via Dell'Orso reminds me of the little streets behind Fontana di Trevi. If only there could be more spots like these!

Florence in Milan

2007-07-23T16:58:00.000+02:00

There is a place where Milan seems Florence. This building was certainly inspired on the famous Palazzo Strozzi in Florence. The building dates from the late 1800 and is the headquarter of a big Italian bank.

Urban traces

2007-07-22T11:44:00.000+02:00

When I came to live in Milano I didn't understand many sidewalks had all these strange traces. When it got hot I did understand. Because all sidewalks in Milan are made from asphalt I gets a bit weak when it's very hot. All motorcycles and Vespas parked on the sidewalks cause this pattern - and some are cause by stiletto heels.

Refreshing

2007-07-21T15:40:00.000+02:00

Today it is 38°C here in Milano. When I passed this artificial waterfall yesterday I almost wanted to jump in it.

Where Giuseppe Verdi died

2007-07-19T19:25:00.000+02:00

In 1901 The famous composer Verdi died in this hotel in via Manzoni. Until today the room of the Grand Hotel et de Milan where Verdi lived during his stay in Milan (he was from a little town near Parma) remains unchanged.

Castello

2007-07-16T16:11:00.000+02:00

Milan has not so many places where you can see the city from above.
So when I was on this terrace and saw the tower of the Castello Sforzesco I had to take a picture of it.

Hot

2007-07-15T14:43:00.000+02:00

Atmosphere of an empty hot city.

Private

2007-07-14T19:21:00.000+02:00

Only few happy people have access to these beautiful gardens I discovered in a very busy street in the center. I had no idea that behind the buildings Eden was. Only not open to all!

Tobias Rehberger

2007-07-13T19:05:00.000+02:00

Once a year Fondazione Prada holds an exhibition at the Prada headquarter of Milan. Until June there was an exhibition of Tobias Rehberger. I wanted to give you a peek of the installation.

I would like to be here now

2007-07-12T12:20:00.000+02:00

Weather is beautiful. There is a fresh breeze and an incredible blue sky.
I could go to the park and read for the whole day.

Above

2007-07-11T10:19:00.000+02:00

Looking up sometimes can be more interesting in Milan. You discover never seen details. These statues I discovered just now. However I pass everday next to this building in the very centre of Milan.

Via Dante

2007-07-10T16:47:00.000+02:00

Via Dante seen from above. Via Dante is one of the traditional streets of the centre for the 'struscio', a very italian usage. People walk on and off the street to observe eachother and to be seen. Very common on sundays around 5 p.m.

San Francesco

2007-07-09T14:29:00.000+02:00

In Milan S.Francesco not only talks to the birds but also to the tower cranes!

Summer sales

2007-07-07T13:05:00.000+02:00

Today sales offically begin. I think I'll enjoy the sun and go to the swimming pool!

Upside down

2007-07-06T10:25:00.000+02:00

Do you see anything unusual in this picture? This is the shop of Dutch fashion designers Viktor and Rolf. Everything is upside down; even the chandeliers.

Green

2007-07-05T21:48:00.000+02:00

I've posted this building before, but now it really turned all green!!!

Dark Sky

2007-07-04T18:05:00.000+02:00

The weather was nice - and then all of a sudden...

Door

2007-07-03T18:54:00.000+02:00

I would like to have a house matching this door.

RED in Milan

2007-07-01T18:46:00.000+02:00

You won't believe me but I couldn't post because I was stuck in Paris. My flight was cancelled and so I couldn't do the post earlier.
Anyway, I wanted to post the 'red' theme for which I supposed to participate.
I made this patchwork of all red pictures appeared in Milano Daily Photo.

tokyo in Milan

2007-06-30T19:50:00.000+02:00

Airplane wings

2007-06-29T11:48:00.000+02:00

I was struck how stange the balconies are.

OK OK OK

2007-06-28T22:05:00.000+02:00

This blog is still active Guido. I'm sorry for not being there last weeks. A list of excuses: 1. I went abroad for work, 2. Weather is so nice I prefer to spend my spare time outside, 3. I do not have spare time as I have to much work to do, 4. I not in the mood for blogging; I need holidays, 5. From the heat there was an electricity blackout so I couldn't start my computer.
So you just choose one of these excuses.
Beginning again with this charming picture of this lovely lady. The picture was taken at last saturdays Milan Gay pride. Cheers.

the Biscione again

2007-06-05T19:49:00.000+02:00

Since my first picture of the Biscione (one of the symbols of the city of milan) I see them everwhere. This very old one is on the facade of the church of S. Maria Incoronata in Corso Garibaldi.

Saint

2007-06-04T19:23:00.000+02:00

I met her in a courtyard.

Where the stars live

2007-06-03T16:51:00.000+02:00

This is a view of the penthouse of Dolce & Gabbana.
They must have a gardener - or more then one!

Just a facade

2007-06-02T18:41:00.000+02:00

I just liked the green marble of this facade.
Reminds me of Vienna - though i've never been there.

Nightstrolls

2007-05-31T10:48:00.000+02:00

Summer is arriving and these days it's nice to stay outside at night having a stroll. The duomo is preparing itself and finally is uncovering its facade for the occasion.

Coloured shadow

2007-05-30T16:47:00.000+02:00

Actually I found out of the coloured building of yesterday when I saw these colour spots on the ground. Made me think of the light which falls into cathedral stained windows - but modern.

Coloured sky

2007-05-29T14:27:00.000+02:00

I spotted this colourful rooftop veranda some days ago and now I found out it is the Swiss school of Milan. Children must be happy to see a coloured sky!

Strange proportions

2007-05-26T12:18:00.000+02:00

Just next to the duomo these men with beards carry the facade of the church of S. Raffaele.

Prevert

2007-05-25T09:32:00.000+02:00

The street in front of the hairdresser Aldo Coppola (a salon designed by Philippe Starck) has a poem of Jacques Prévert. Some romanticism in a street where the happy hour rules - most people there probably do not know who is Prévert.

Trains

2007-05-24T08:52:00.000+02:00

For my work it happens that I have to go just outside Milan. Taking a suburban train sometimes is a real adventure in Italy. You forget you're in the modern europe. Look how the state of this carriage was. I didn't sit down for the journey.

Raul

2007-05-22T19:38:00.001+02:00

Anybody knows who is Raul???

Design crimes

2007-05-21T10:15:00.000+02:00

After the Designweek, some designers and famous architects must have been shot!
Here must have laid the architect Alvar Aalto. I saw also the the outline of Leonarda Da Vinci - but didn't he die a long time ago?

Pink and blue

2007-05-20T12:33:00.000+02:00

This is Pawel Althamer - or better a huge balloon self portrait. The exhibition of this bizarre Polish artist is organised by Fondazione Nicola Trussardi at the civic Sports Arena of Milan.

Duke and horse

2007-05-16T13:58:00.000+02:00

Still on Piazza dei mercanti some lonely duke rides his horse between the bricks.
I've published the entire building the 2nd of July last year.

Monday again

2007-05-14T18:05:00.000+02:00

This weekend was beautiful...relaxing...no computer.
This picture was taken at the gardens of Guastalla and shows the Sinagogue of Milan.

Biscione bis

2007-05-11T19:15:00.000+02:00

Check out another 'biscione' on this facade in Piazza Mercanti, one of Milans oldest squares.

Il Biscione

2007-05-10T08:52:00.000+02:00

'Il biscione' or the dragon/snake is an old heraldic symbol of the Visconti dukes dating from the 11th century. Later many cities which belonged to the dukes property took this symbol over. Until today it is the heraldic symbol of Milan. This one I saw on an old tram deposit.
A curiosity: Once Mediaset (the telivision net owned by Berlusconi - yes him ) had il biscione as a symbol. Until today Mediaset is also called il Biscione!

Justice will be made

2007-05-09T23:48:00.000+02:00

This is the back entrance (!) of the palace of justice. It a huge building of the facist period. These days there is a debat going on about moving the palace of justice to a new building because this one would be to small!! It's hard for me to think that this building is to small to handle the italian trials.

Here we go again

2007-05-08T21:28:00.000+02:00

OK OK.
I have no excuse for being away this long.
Berlin was great. I loved the open spaces. Riding a bike through the city sun following the river and crossing the parks.
So now I'm back and I feel some discomfort. Or is it the work? Or because of all the people that have left Milan after the furniture fair?
I don't know. Anyway, here I am again.
I leave you with this image of a sunset near the palace of justice. Inspired by Berlin.

Burning houses

2007-04-25T14:18:00.000+02:00

Today is holiday in Italy. I take the occasion to visit Berlin these days. So until the 1st of may there will be no posts.
I leave you with this image of an installation by Gaetano Pesce seen at the Castello Sforzesco.

The day after

2007-04-24T19:42:00.000+02:00

The design fair is over. Fuksas' building will be empty now. The sun will still be reflecting in the stainless steel walls.

DAY 6 - LAST DAY

2007-04-23T20:22:00.000+02:00

The most beautiful installation during this salone could be seen at Moroso. I was speechless when I entered this installation by the Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka made out of billions of plastic tubes.

See a detail of the installation here.

DAY 5

2007-04-22T10:52:00.000+02:00

Design snacks at NABA by Diego Grandi, Alberto Artesani and Stefano Gaggero.

DAY 4

2007-04-21T22:50:00.000+02:00

Sardinian landscape by Toscani (remember the Benetton adds).

DAY 3

2007-04-20T10:01:00.000+02:00

At the party at the new showroom of Flos. My friend Fabio did the display design!

DAY 2

2007-04-19T22:00:00.000+02:00

The castle is on fire!

DAY 1

2007-04-18T21:50:00.000+02:00

Little white elephants invade the city.

1 DAY LEFT

2007-04-17T16:10:00.000+02:00

Tomorrow starts the designweek here in Milan. For one week Milan is more international, more coloured, more moving, ore everything...
Let the play begin!

Touristic tour

2007-04-15T18:18:00.000+02:00

Tourist are arriving for the International Furniture Fair. The duomo is preparing itself.

Rotonda

2007-04-14T12:04:00.000+02:00

Yesterdays picture was taken inside 'la Rotonda della Besana'.
This circular collonnade with in the center a church was build in the 17th century. In the origin people that died at the hospital were buried under the floor of the collonnade (once 150.000 people were buried here). In the 19th century it became a 'prison-hospital' for people with contagious deseases. Now the church became an exhibition space, the garden and the collonnade became a public garden.

Coloured words

2007-04-13T15:42:00.000+02:00

If one could colour his words when speaking which colour there would be the most?
This picture was taken at la Rotonda della Besana.

The King of...

2007-04-12T19:45:00.000+02:00

A short intro for people who don't know this man; he is called Rocco Siffredi and he is Italy's most famous porn actor. A year ago he made a publicity on TV for this potatoe chips brand in a pool surrounded by little dressed women. It was quite contoversial and in the end it was censured and banned from TV (Potatoe chips are called 'Patatine' in Italian - the word has also a second meaning referring to the intimate parts of a woman). In the TV spot Rocco claimed that he tried a lot of 'Patatine' and he agreed that this brand was the best!
Now I met Rocco again on this Billboard. They are looking for the new king of chips... go voting I would say.

Beautiful day

2007-04-11T23:20:00.000+02:00

Today was a beautiful day.

Portholes

2007-04-10T13:00:00.000+02:00

Yesterday was holiday and I went to Mantova (so no pic yesterday) to see an exhibition about Jean Prouvé, a french architect of the 40 - 50s.
I met this door in Milan - very much inspired on the work of Prouvé.

Easter

2007-04-08T16:33:00.000+02:00

Buona pasqua a tutti!
This Pinocchio was at Cova (the major rival of Sant Ambroeus).
Probably someone is eating Pinocchio right now!

Childrens paradise

2007-04-05T16:53:00.000+02:00

Milan is not a very great city for children...alas... but sometimes there is some hope.
This is the shop window of Moshino in via Sant'Andrea. Imagine if it would be real.

Japanese spring

2007-04-03T19:57:00.000+02:00

A friend of mine told me that this picture could have been takenn in Japan. In fact it reminds me a bit of Tokyo. Tree blossom and electrical wiring.
Today was really spring.

Jesus again

2007-04-02T20:33:00.000+02:00

Ladyluck sent me this picture.
It's bizarre isn't it? The same image as my post from some days ago.
By the way, the mural is surrounded by red candles now...

Temptation

2007-04-01T17:20:00.000+02:00

I couldn't resist and had to buy some pastries.
I love the oldfashioned packaging!!

Easter eggs

2007-03-31T18:03:00.000+02:00

Waiting to be eaten.
At Sant Ambroeus, one of Milano's most famous teahouses.

Skeleton

2007-03-29T10:57:00.000+02:00

This huge skeleton is an artwork by Gino De Dominicis. It is 24 metres long and is exposed in front of Palazzo Reale.

skull

2007-03-28T23:46:00.000+02:00

Tomorrow i will say you where I took this picture.

'Osteria' of the Poets

2007-03-27T18:50:00.000+02:00

Having dinner outside is nicer when the place has a lovely name like this.

Head

2007-03-26T23:42:00.000+02:00

The Head-vase.
Special request from Susan.
This is a detail of the facade from some days ago.

Monastery

2007-03-25T14:19:00.000+02:00

This severe facade belongs to the monastery of the nuns of San Francesco.
It has something dramatic about it. And even more when thinking about the life of the nuns behind these walls.