La Porta di Milano

The project was created for an international competition promoted in 2009 by SEA, the company which manages Milan airport system. As stated in the announcement, the competition concerns the creation of “a new architectural project for the realization of an artwork that is going to change the appearance of the Malpensa airport. Specifically, the commission envisions a highly aesthetic space that is going to virtually represent the access door to the city of Milan. The purpose of this work of art, besides striking the passenger's imagination, is to become a location for cultural events and exhibitions”. Flavio Favelli presents Crystal Garden, a full-scale artwork which reproduces many features of the collective imaginary of Milan, while reminding at the same time Paxton's Crystal Palace. The reference to the architecture of London stems both from the project's title and from the materials that were to be used, such as the iron of old-aged gates and the glass thermoshell of the internal side. As declared by the artist itself, his architectural model is the aviary, which actually becomes a cage built with high-tech materials, which enables many and various activities. The complexity of the documents donated to MoRE portrays a careful planning and a thorough working method, showing also the relationship between the artists and the commissioner. Favelli's project presents many characteristic features of his body of work, which is able to succesfully combine the present with the past; here, the artist employs purposefully a futuristic approach through the usage of high-tech materials that opposes the recourse to found materials as well as to practices and modalities of appropriation. The project was not admitted to the second phase of the competition.
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