The future of Portanuova
Portanuova is an unprecedented urban regeneration project. Not only has it given back to the city of Milan one of its abandoned, historic industrial parks: it has reopened its spaces to the community, and reopened the city’s doors to the world with state-of-the-art architectures admired and recognized across the map for the beauty of their design and sustainability. A district “signed” by the greatest architects in the business, and animated by a vibrant atmosphere. Most of all, a green district where visitors may smell the scent of magnolia flowers while waiting for the start of a cultural event or a meeting. Portanuova introduces itself as a cultural contribution to society and a space for gravitation of experiences and relationships. A place of sharing, available to all. A place of life, work, and gathering of families, young men and women, sportspeople, professionals, tourists, and curious visitors. A space designed for the community, not only tailor-made for its residents and its everyday workers. A bustling location that is always open to the city and the world. An organism that, despite its record heights, never stops growing. Much like all of us, alive and constantly evolving, with new projects on our tables.
- Gioia 22
- Corso Como Place
- Pirelli 35
- Pirelli 39
- Goia 20
The “glass splinter” piercing the urban fabric and reflecting its future.
An architecture slicing the urban landscape it lies in. A dynamic, unusual shape – nicknamed “the splinter” – which was determined by optimization of light and solar energy demand. Its bold silhouette does not forget the past, but rather presents a new aesthetic and functional standard for office buildings. Gioia 22 is the first new-generation skyscraper redefining the Porta Nuova Gioia business district. Following the demolition of the previous structure (2017) and the laying of the first brick (2018), Gioia 22 has replaced the former INPS (Italian public pension fund) building at 22 Via Melchiorre Gioia (1961), unused since 2012. The edifice has an above-ground surface area of 42,386 m2, is 120-m tall, and has 26 storeys. It will be equipped with over 225,000 (6,000 m2) PV modules (able to provide for the energy demand of 306 homes) that, along with the use of an aquifer thermal energy system, will reduce energy consumption by 75% compared to the most modern skyscrapers of Milan. The annual reduction in CO2 emissions compared to the previous construction (-2,260 t) is the equivalent of the quantity absorbed by 10 ha of rainforest (4,500 trees). These best practices of sustainable architecture also make Gioia 22 the first-ever tower in Italy to meet Nearly Zero Energy Consumption Building standards. Moreover, the building was made using Cradle to Cradle certified materials and has qualified to achieve LEED and WELL certifications for its attention to the wellness, health, and safety of its occupants.
- 225.000 PV panels
- -2.260t CO2/year (compared to the previous building)
- LEED Platinum Certification
A regeneration icon.
The renovation project launched in 2018 concerns an entire block of historic relevance between Via Tocqueville and Via Bonnet. A fundamental operation to newly connect the public areas of Viale Pasubio – around the main office of the Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Foundation and Microsoft House – with Corso Como and Piazza Gae Aulenti. This is guaranteed by the requalification of the surrounding pedestrian areas and the continuity with the Corso Como pedestrian paths. Bike paths, pedestrian paths, and green spaces will connect the areas, in line with the green mobility promoted by Portanuova. The complex includes the iconic 21-floor (70 m high) tower – the former Unilever HQ – designed in the 1950s by Francesco Diomede with Giuseppe and Carlo Rusconi, legends of Milan’s urban design history. Corso Como Place, created following the Cradle to Cradle protocol thus respectful of a circular economy in terms of material choice and reduced energy consumption, will be the first-ever WELL-certified office complex in Milan. Moreover, thanks to its 1,000 PV modules, it is a Nearly Zero Energy Consumption Building. The complex is equipped with technology based on a network of IoT (Internet of Things) sensors to remotely monitor every activity occurring in the smart buildings, and connecting people with the building’s elements. This will allow its users to customize, for example, lighting, temperature, and shade, and to book a space in the underground parking in real-time.
- 22,000 m2 Total surface area
- 1,000 PV modules
- WELL Gold Certification
The return of the baby boomer.
Pirelli 35 reclaims its city through a revamping and “re-functionalization” operation giving it a polished and modern twist. The new architectural design included a complete renovation of one of the symbols of the Milan business hub in the 1960s (original design by Melchiorre Bega). It spans a 40,000-m2 area, and involves two 10- and 5-floor elements with a 3,000 m2 inner courtyard. With the credentials to achieve LEED Platinum, WELL, and Cradle to Cradle certifications, Pirelli 35 becomes an endorser of the values of maximum energy efficiency, sustainability, and flexibility that the district as a whole symbolizes. In practical terms, the recovery includes 60% of the existing building as an alternative to its full demolishment minimizes environmental impact thanks to reduced energy and raw material consumption. Speaking of which, over 10% of the building’s energy demand is granted by a latest-generation PV system. Design: Snøhetta e Park Associati. It is planned to be completed in 2023.
- EU 2050 Net-zero CO2 emissions
- 120,000 m2 Public spaces
- Cradle to Cradle Certification
A green bridge with a great future.
The renovation of the “Pirellino” – a historic building designed in the 1950s by a team of Italian architects (Gandolfi, Putelli, Bazzoni, Fratino) – encompasses a total of 110,00 m2, 27 thousand of which destined to be public spaces to create a link with the BAM - Biblioteca degli Alberi Milano. The construction, which has hosted the city’s public design department up to 2013, includes a 90-metre, 26-floor tower, a 3-level underground parking lot, and a bridge-shaped lower unit extending to Via Melchiorre Gioia. The latter element is set to become an educational greenhouse and biodiversity lab. The new residential tower will also be the habitat for 700 m2 of plants laid out so that the colours of their flowers may vary with the seasons. An alive and kicking ecosystem that will contribute to the absorption of 14 t/year of CO2 and release of 9 t/year of oxygen (as much as a 10,000-m2 forest). 2,770 m2 of PV panels will provide for 65% of its energy demand. Finally, the 1,800 m3 of its wooden floors will save up to 3,600 t of CO2 in the construction phase. Pirelli 39 will be the first Italian project fully measurable in accordance with ESG criteria.
- 27,000 m2 Public spaces
- 26 floors / 90 m (h) The tower
- -14 t CO2 per year
Smart and independent.
This eminent operation involves the erection of two buildings in the strategic position at the centre of the Porta Nuova Gioia business district, along with the regeneration of the surrounding area. The West Tower, placed beside the BAM - Biblioteca degli Alberi Milano, is surrounded by public spaces combined to form a new square. It will be 65 m tall, will have 35 floors, and will host 813 people. The East Tower will soar to a height of 98 m, and its 24 floors host a maximum of 3,500 people.
Thanks to the 957 PV panels of the West Tower, the 2,174 panels of the East Tower, and the use of an aquifer system for A/C and heating, 65% of the buildings’ consumption will be satisfied through renewable energy.
For safety to be sustainable too, the towers will also be smart buildings thanks to a network of electronic devices for remote monitoring and IoT (Internet of Things) technology. The towers have been designed to achieve LEED PLATINUM, WELL GOLD, NZEB, Cradle to Cradle, and WiredScore certifications, thus reiterating Milan’s and Italy’s role among environmental sustainability protagonists.
- 65% Demand satisfied by renewable energy
- 3,131 Total PV panels (957+2,174)
- WiredScore Certification
