PLAYGROUNDS & PLAYSCAPES – Redesigning the City Through the Lens of Play

The course unfolds across three interconnected layers: understanding, analyzing, and designing.

Play and the City — A History Trace the evolution of play in urban contexts, from early playground movements to today’s most radical playscapes. Understand how the spaces we design for play reveal deeper truths about how we conceive of public life.

Landscape Meets Play — Critical Perspectives Engage with key theories on landscape and play, and discover how architects, landscape designers, artists, educators, and communities have challenged purely functional conceptions of urban space — proposing models grounded in freedom, shared experience, and imagination.

Multidisciplinary Design in Action Study real-world design experiences from across disciplines — architecture, landscape architecture, fashion design, art, and community practice — that illustrate how play-driven interventions can redefine the idea of the city.

Urban Analysis Through the Lens of Play Learn to critically read urban contexts and public spaces, identifying design opportunities where play can act as a catalyst for social connection, rest, learning, and regeneration.

Designing Playscapes — From Concept to Intervention Work hands-on to develop urban design interventions at multiple scales, integrating functional, artistic, and social dimensions with careful attention to the relationships between space, body, and community.

This is a 40-hour intensive workshop delivered over two weeks, designed to balance theory, critical analysis, and creative making.

Lectures and Masterclasses At least three masterclasses are delivered by professors from Politecnico di Milano, complemented by sessions with PhD researchers, visiting academics, and professionals working at the intersection of design, art, and urban practice. Lectures are supported by rich multimedia materials and followed by open discussions that encourage the exchange of perspectives.

Field Visits Across Milan Four curated visits take you into Milan’s public spaces, parks, cultural institutions, and urban landscapes — observed not as tourists, but as designers. Each visit is guided by a member of the academic team and serves as both inspiration and research material for your project work.

Team-Based Final Project In multidisciplinary groups, you’ll develop a design proposal for an urban intervention that uses play as its driving principle. The final day is dedicated to public presentations, followed by a certificate ceremony and a celebratory aperitivo. The aim is to produce a tangible, portfolio-ready outcome — a project that integrates spatial, social, and artistic thinking into one compelling proposal.

By the end of the course, you’ll be equipped to:

• Read urban spaces critically, identifying where play can unlock new design possibilities
• Design interventions that weave together functional, artistic, and social dimensions
• Collaborate effectively across disciplines, turning diverse perspectives into stronger ideas
• Use multimedia tools to analyze, document, and present design proposals with clarity and conviction
• Think about play not just as recreation, but as a tool for social and spatial innovation

At the end of the program, every participant receives:

• A Certificate of Attendance issued by POLI.design
• A Digital Open Badge
• A portfolio-ready final project developed during the course
• A Letter of Recommendation awarded to the team behind the most outstanding project
• An international network of peers, mentors, and design professionals

Milan is an exciting city to explore — and it doesn’t have to break the bank. Here’s a realistic estimate of what two weeks will cost you, excluding accommodation and travel to/from Milan.

A few insider tips: breakfast in Milan is an espresso and a cornetto at the bar for €2–3. A solid lunch at a trattoria or cafeteria runs €8–12. Dinner at a pizzeria will cost you €15–25, while a nice restaurant is more like €30–50. Public transport is excellent and affordable — a weekly pass is around €17, and most of the city is walkable. For groceries, supermarkets are your best friends, and cooking a few meals at home can stretch your budget significantly. Milan also offers a wealth of free things to do: from aperitivo culture (where drinks come with generous buffets) to free museum days and beautiful parks. You’ll spend less than you think — and enjoy every euro.

Overall, plan for approximately €450 – €1,250 for two weeks depending on your lifestyle. The lower end is realistic if you cook some meals at home and keep evenings relaxed; the higher end covers eating out most days and enjoying Milan’s nightlife and cultural scene fully.

We’ve partnered with Aparto to offer our students dedicated accommodation at a special rate during the program.

Dates: Check-in Sunday, July 19 — Check-out Saturday, August 1, 2026

Room options:

• Twin Room — €650 for the full stay
• Studio Premium — €845 for the full stay

All rooms include an en-suite bathroom and a kitchenette, so you can cook when you feel like it and save on meals. The residence also offers 24-hour reception, weekly cleaning, and full access to common areas including a study room, gym, cinema room, and video games room.

After completing your Summer School enrollment with POLI.design, you will receive a dedicated link to book your accommodation. Spots are limited and assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

Milan isn’t just a city – it’s a living design laboratory. Home to Salone del Mobile, Fashion Week, and the world’s most iconic design brands, it’s the place where trends are born and creative boundaries are pushed every day. POLI.design, Founded by Politecnico di Milano – one of Europe’s top technical universities – puts you at the center of this ecosystem, with direct access to world-class faculty, industry connections, and a city that breathes design.

This summer, go beyond a single discipline. Explore the full spectrum of design – in the city that continues to redefine it.