This past week, we started our mapping the city project. We did our first walk on Tuesday afternoon, we discussed our experience on Wednesday afternoon and did our second walk on Thursday afternoon. The first walk was exhilarating, new streets, new finds, and new experiences. We had two quite different buildings and although one was finished much later and was built during the modernist era, it felt much older than the other. We had the Bocconi University (economics) and the Torre Velasca Tower. We started with the oldest section of the Bocconi building and walked our way to the newer portion of the University and onto the Velasca Tower. The most noticeable part of the entire experience was the energy and activity level of the walk. We went from an over hyper area where there was excitement, life and lots of energy to an almost non-existent lifestyle. The tower’s energy was completely draining. We originally thought that it was due to the time we arrive to the area, but we encounter the same energy during rush hour on Thursday afternoon. Granted the building is under construction, but the energy of the building was felt onto the community. It seems that the Velasca tower although, a modernist designed had too many fascist memories embedded onto it. The medieval inspired design only added to the tension and it weighed on the community.
Torre Velasca
Bocconi University – outside view
Bocconi University – close up
Bocconi University – inside view
We decided to focus on the sensory aspect of our walk—not only ours, but the community’s, as well. We noticed the the energy and the sound levels varied from one point to the next. The University lifestyle definitely added to the heighten activity levels. The energy was positive and it vibrated through the students around the building. We, the four of us, wanted to become part of it. The varying textures of students added to the neighborhood. Below is a sample of the sounds, movements and energy I felt as I was walking in the area. You will notice that my energy levels went down as we reached our final destination point. The Velasca building definitely had some remnants of the fascist movement, although not intentional, it was felt … by me.
