ARCHITECTURE IN MILAN
Porta Nuova: A new life in Milan
Named after the Napoleonic gate at its doorstep, Porta Nuova (new door) was once an industrial wasteland. Multiple planners and designers have helped shape the 290,000 square meters of abandoned buildings and railway lines into the towering center of high-tech and international business, featuring the country’s highest spired skyscraper, the Unicredit Tower.
What makes Porta Nuova truly unique is the reuse, redesign and renewal of spaces for sustainable work living. The buildings all use renewable energy, 21 of them certified LEED Gold, and the residential buildings are more than just good for the environment: they’re spectacular.
The Bosco Verticale (or Vertical Forest) residential buildings contain 20,000 plants and trees that convert carbon to oxygen while attracting beautiful birds and pollinators. Fed by recycled water the urban forest keeps temperatures, dust and pollution down, while solar panels keep carbon foot prints small.
Recently listed among the 50 most influential buildings of the past 50 years by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, Bosco Verticale aims to be an inspiration to other cities and designers. Pedestrian walkways, cycle paths, greenways and parks lead to Arts and culture centers that provide educational and artistic opportunities for visitors and residents alike. A living collaboration between 20 architects from 8 different countries, Porto Nuova serves as a model of the balance between the natural world and the needs of future generations.
Jennie Olson Six
Content Writer Cultural Italy
