Policies, Plans and Projects

Abstract

Like many other metropolitan cities, Milan has experienced spatial decentralization of industry and population during the last decades. At present, a multiplicity of settlement patterns can be observed. Particularly the highly industrialized North has been able to strengthen its position in many sectors with areas of specialization and intense growth based mostly on small enterprise. This article presents the evolution of the city-region Milan and the metropolitan governance experience in the Milanese area. It argues that new demand for general spatial planning is basically tied much more to the problem of constructing and legitimating choices than of certifying rights; of making action possible rather than of imposing choices based on rational technical principles. Furthermore, a demand for reference frameworks to facilitate co-operation and agreement in unstable and highly fragmented situations is identified. The case of Milan gives strong evidence that any of the problems which have prevented metropolitan governments from being effective or even coming into existence are positively solved when there is a bottom-up aggregation of municipalities and actors.

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