“Human Cities_Challenging the City Scale” is an European project, exploring the way in which the inhabitants reclaim the constantly evolving contemporary city, through experiments in the urban space. Cofunded by the Creative Europe/Culture program of European Union, it is led by the Cité du design of Saint-Étienne for 4 years (2014-2018).

Amongst the 12 European partners, 4 are representing UNESCO Creative Cities of Design – Saint-Étienne (Cité du design-ESADSE), Bilbao (BEAZ), Graz (FH Joanneum) and Helsinki (Aalto University) – and of Literature with Ljubljana. 

An exhibition-laboratory of the project will travel in the main European Design festivals and events.

First step organized by Politecnico di Milano : Milan Design Week, April 12th – April 17th  2016, which program will include: 

- The exhibition “This is not a place” at BASE Milano (Zona Tortona – Via Bogognone 34, Milano)  with:

• ongoing initiatives in the various partner cities, to activate the public spaces and co-create ever changing cities in Saint-Etienne, Milan, Ljubljana, Londres, Cieszyn, Belgrade, Bruxelles, Helsinki, Graz, Tallinn, and Bilbao;
• the results of the experimentation lab led by the Politecnico international Masterclass « Temporary Urban Solution » in collaboration with Atir Ringhiera Theatre to animate the public space “La Piana” located in front of the theatre. The exhibition will offer to visitors the possibility of testing prototypes from this laboratory;

• an opening on public space interaction in an extra European urban context with “Open Your Space”, a project by Tongji University Shanghai – involving the Siping Lu’s community.

- A public workshop and tour at La Piana (via Boifava, 17, Milan)  on April 14th from 14 .30 to 18.00 to develop the experiment led with the theatre, local stakeholders and the Politecnico.

- The bi-annual meeting of the 12 partners of “Human Cities_Challenging the City Scale” European programme.

Partners and projects from “Human Cities_Challenging the City Scale” will also take part in other events of the Milan Design Week:

• Exhibition Saint-Etienne changes design, within XXI° Triennale di Milano at  BASE Milano
• Showroom of Estonian House of Design, Tallinn at BASE Milano