Location : Bollate, Milan

Type : Benefit

Project Description:

Sentieri di Filastrocca is a project developed within the Milan-Bollate Correctional Facility to create the first dedicated space for encounters between incarcerated mothers and their children. The initiative is part of “Abbracci in Libertà” (Hugs in Freedom), promoted by the Santo Versace Foundation.
The project takes shape as a protected green area aimed at restoring beauty, safety, and warmth to the mother-child bond in the context of incarceration. It is a child-friendly space where play and affection can flourish in a dignified environment.
The project also benefitted from the contribution of Susanna Magistretti, who offered valuable insights on the urban character of the play area, provided advice on sustainable materials, and donated plants to enrich the space and strengthen its environmental and educational value.
The space is further enhanced by the artwork “The Hug” by artist Giulia Caruso, who led the incarcerated women in painting the “nursery rhyme of values” along the perimeter wall—a collective and symbolic gesture of expression and transformation.
Supported by Banca del Fucino and the prison administration, Sentieri di Filastrocca is a concrete example of public–private collaboration, embodying the mission of Ideàs: to create architecture that promotes inclusion, social impact, and beauty, even in the most fragile contexts. Driven by the studio’s strong enthusiasm and commitment, this initiative is intended as a pilot project — a replicable model for other correctional facilities across Italy, aiming to bring dignity and emotional space to where it is most needed.