Milan to install traditional Chinese Paifang at Via Paolo Sarpi entrance

The Comune di Milano has approved guidelines for a public tender to design and build a traditional Chinese portal, known as a paifang, at the entrance of Via Paolo Sarpi, the main artery of the city’s Chinatown. The structure will be placed near the new Museum of the Resistance in the Porta Volta district and is intended to mark the historic presence of the Chinese community while contributing to urban regeneration and social cohesion.

The tender is open to public and private entities, with no strict design constraints, allowing creative proposals that respect the cultural heritage of the paifang. The initiative, announced by district assessor Gaia Romani, revives a concept first floated in 2015 during the Expo and is timed to coincide with Chinatown’s centenary in 2026. The paifang will serve as a symbolic gate and a focal point for community events and cultural activities.