The possible Milan of Giuseppe de Finetti

Unrealized architectural projects often spark academic debate, yet they hold a unique potential: to evoke alternative visions of the built environment. Giuseppe de Finetti, for Milan, presents alternative visions that reveal reflections about urban form and development. The architect’s early 20th-century proposals bridge architectural and urban scales, integrating public spaces and infrastructure. Instead of ring roads, he envisions main roads traversing the city, inspired by Roman principles to meet modern mobility needs. This approach is evident in many of his transformation proposals for Milan, such as the projects for Fontana and Beccaria squares, or the proposal La strada Lombarda. In his urban proposal, de Finetti blends the logical compositional principles of the Classic Era with the modern needs of the city. The proposal for the transformation of the Arena Civica and the surrounding area shows more explicitly how de Finetti links architecture and public spaces with infrastructures to connect the city’s past and future. As a whole his vision offers practical design solutions that balance historical continuity with modern urban needs.