Master Plans

This master plan for a mixed-use development north of Milan’s historic city center redevelops an area of abandoned railyards adjacent to the Garibaldi train station, creating a new and grand gateway to the city. One of the largest redevelopment projects underway in Milan, the project will include residential, office, retail and hotel components with a strong focus on pedestrian activity at the base of the buildings. The plan also includes a public park on 8 hectares (20 acres) on the north end of the site.

Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects designed the largest components of the development: office and retail complexes totaling 70,600 square meters (759,900 square feet)  and podium with 60,000 square meters (645,800 square feet) of retail, restaurants and parking. The development will create new, continuous pedestrian connections between neighborhoods. Porta Nuova will also include a new public space, the Piazza Circolare. The piazza will extend to the Corso Como, a well-known pedestrian street of fashion shops and restaurants.

Sustainability is a major design consideration for the project, and all of the buildings are pre-certified LEED Silver. The potable water demand will be reduced by 30 percent though such measures as efficient drip irrigation systems, climate-based controllers, extraction of groundwater for non-potable water supply, and low-flow fixtures. Energy consumption will be reduced by 37 percent through the use of such features as high performance glazing, dedicated outside air units with heat recovery, localized fan coils for space heating and cooling, river-water heat extraction/rejection, water-to-water heat pumps, and high efficiency lighting and daylight controls. Recycled materials will be used and at least 50 percent of construction debris will be diverted from the waste stream.

In the buildings, filtered outside air will help to achieve high indoor air quality, while building monitoring systems will ensure thermal comfort. Occupants will also be able to install carbon dioxide sensors. To further create a desirable working environment, a direct line of daylight will reach 90 percent of all occupied areas.