Planning Disaster, Successful Event, and Uncertain Future: The Twin Cases of the World Expo 2015 and Innovation District in Milan

More than five years after the closing of the Milan 2015 World Fair, this article examines the two projects for the Expo site and its post-event redevelopment into an innovation district. The article interprets these projects as two connected episodes within a long-term process of urban transformation and repositioning. Accordingly, their failure and success need to be measured against the backdrop of alternate periods of action and inaction. Spatial planning has determined the elements common to both projects, although apart from planning strategies for the metropolitan area. This contradiction did not prevent the development of potential; however, it has accentuated criticalities and uncertainties, which call for reflection in urban planning studies.