Reclaiming Time in a Rushed City: Ford Turns a Playground into a Community Hub

As someone who is constantly on the move, I’ve always believed the best journeys are the ones that lead you to discover new places and flavours.

But sometimes, the most important journeys don’t involve crossing oceans. They happen right in our own neighbourhoods. That’s what I felt when I first saw the underused basketball court in Piazza Paci, in the heart of Milan’s Barona district. It was a space with a story waiting to be told.

Now it’s our story too.

From Concrete to Canvas

Spaces become places when people breathe life into them. At Ford, our story has always been about more than just vehicles; for over 120 years, we've been part of the communities where we operate. When we saw the court in Piazza Paci, we saw an opportunity to do what we do best: get things moving again.

In partnership with the Municipality of Milan and Municipio 6, we didn't just want to repaint the lines on a court. We wanted to reignite a space with new energy. Our brief to Truly Design, the artist collective who worked helped us bring to life our vision, was clear: we wanted to celebrate Puma. In the past few years, in fact, we worked on positioning Puma as a vibrant urban catalyst, and a real advocate for street art. With the Piazza Paci playground, we brought this positioning to the next level, and actually created a piece of art that would last forever. Through this art, we make a loud statement: it’s an invitation to break free, to live a life outside the box, and to play.

For people my age, playgrounds have been part of our childhood. They have been those places where friendships were forged, where we learned by mistake, where our dreams could break free.

So, in our vision, this brand new court is no longer just a court. It’s a modern-day agora, a meeting point where the universal language of sport can forge real connections and bring the community together.

A Partnership for People

This transformation was only possible because so many of us came together, driven by a shared belief in the power of place. From Milan’s Municipality, who proved us that when institutions, private entities and communities come together, great things happen.

As our own Managing Director at Ford Italy, Marco Buraglio, shared: "By returning a place like this to the Barona community, we are inviting people to reclaim and take care of their urban spaces." For the younger generation especially, these renewed spaces become positive, lasting points of reference in their lives.

Building a Legacy of Play

What truly excites me is that this isn't a “tick the box project”. To ensure it has a lasting impact, we’ve partnered with Slums Dunk, an incredible association founded by former basketball players Bruno Cerella and Tommaso Marino that uses sport as a tool for education. They are on the ground, running programs that use the values of teamwork and perseverance to help build futures.

I remember the very first call with Tommy and Bruno. We could feel their passion even behind the screen. "We don’t care about raising money and publicity. We don’t partner with any brand. We want to know you’re into this project for real, that you guys share our values and mission”. That’s when Bruno got me. Once he said that, I knew we found the perfect partner.

When the inauguration day came, seeing how the event turned out felt like witnessing our promise to Bruno e Tommy come to life. It was informal, joyful, and full of energy. It was clear this wasn't a place to be admired from afar, but a space to be lived in.

In a city that never stops, Piazza Paci is reclaiming time. Time to unite, to welcome, and to build. It proves that sometimes, all you need to get a community back in motion is a ball and a place to play.

Sabina Grixoni is the Head of Communications and External Relations for Ford Italy