Five months ago, when I thought of Europe I imagined beautiful cobblestone streets and colorful homes leading up a mountain with a 12th-century castle.
After traveling to Europe for the first time to study abroad, my perspective on urban design has changed drastically, especially after taking a course on Urban Design and Sustainability in Milan, Italy (where I carried out my studies for the Spring 2025 semester).
One of my favorite events that I attended in Milan, also known as the fashion capital of the world, was the 2025 Design Week in mid-April. The city became a living museum of companies with innovative technologies and home goods with a large emphasis on sustainable products. Outside of this week-long event, this emphasis on sustainability is also apparent in the newer parts of Milan, in particular the Porta Nuova area where the tallest building in all of Italy stands, UniCredit. Milan is the birthplace of the vertical forest buildings and has an entire area full of luxury apartments that meet the LEED sustainability standards.
This mix of modernism with the classic Italian style homes across the block made me reflect on Italy’s take on environmental sustainability especially as it relates to the lengthy efforts they already have to conserve their history. According to Visual Capitalist, Milan is ranked as the number one most walkable city in the world. It was easy to come across a huge arc on a random street that would lead you into the stunning Duomo Cathedral and later into a modern neighborhood with New York-style buildings. As the city has grown, it was evident to me that the city focused on building around historical sites and still made an effort to keep Milan in resemblance to classic Italian architecture. In doing so, Milan is a mix of incredibly modern, sustainable architecture and historical buildings that most Italians would be enraged over if demolished or altered.
Being from the West Coast my entire life, my idea of “historic” would only date back to about 150 years ago. As I traveled through Europe, I realized how much importance Europeans put on conservation, something that I would argue the United States is almost too young to prioritize in comparison. However, in some ways, this may have been a crucial point to my understanding of why the U.S., historically, has fallen behind in addressing conservation. Italians hold on to strong cultural notions like not using air conditioning because they think it will get you sick or not using ice in their drinks. To me, these small actions are reflective of their handling of sustainability. Many care about historic preservation, including preservation of natural landscapes. At the same time, change, particularly climate change, alarms people in an Italian metropolis like Milan to find urban solutions while maintaining the city’s history.
Five months ago, conservation was not something I thought about as much when thinking about the umbrella topic of “sustainability.” Milan is “una bella città,” a beautiful city that I hope everyone can experience. As American cities continue to change, I hope people will begin to understand how important it will one day be for us to conserve both the natural and cultural landscapes that surround us.
Natalie Lopez is a research assistant for CCJC and the associate producer for Electric Futures podcast.
