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Hines, the international real estate firm, has finalised the selection process of the architecture firms that will design “Unione Zero,” the first private lot in the development of MilanoSesto, Italy’s biggest urban regeneration project and one of the largest in Europe covering 1.5 million square metres. The project is a partnership between several companies, including property owner Milanosesto S.p.A, Hines as development manager and strategic advisor, and the Prelios Group as project manager.
MilanoSesto is located in the Sesto San Giovanni district in the North East of Milan and is one of Europe’s most ambitious development projects. Upon completion, it will be home to more than 50,000 residents and will transform the area into a sustainable and inclusive urban hub. The masterplan, designed by international architecture studio Foster + Partners, includes residential areas – with affordable and free market homes, student housing, senior living – retail, hospitality and office space, and public realm facilities with a 45-hectare park to become the ‘green lung’ for the entire Milanese metropolitan area, integrated with the historic industrial buildings.
“Unione Zero” spans seven buildings covering 250,000 square metres of above and below the ground space alongside 13 hectares of parkland designed by international architectural studio LAND, on the former Falck Steelworks site. It is situated adjacent to the City of Health and Research, a new medical and research facility, and is just 15 minutes from the centre of Milan with excellent connectivity provided by the metro line and Sesto San Giovanni railway station.
In addition, “Unione Zero” has a strong emphasis on sustainability and community engagement. All dwellings will promote the concept of occupier comfort and wellness with a number of interwoven common spaces, green areas and gardening venues. Local civic engagement will be encouraged with social strategies promoting accessibility, mobility and inclusion with all spaces available for everyone.
Hines collected expressions of interest for the architectural design of “Unione Zero” focused on meeting the needs of a diverse multi-generational population, creating a long-lasting inclusive community and providing an ethically sustainable model of development utilising materials that promote energy efficiency meeting performance goals via LEED, WELL and Cradle to Cradle certifications. Hines selected four Italian studios to design the seven buildings which make up “Unione Zero.”
Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel (ACPV) has been appointed to design an office building and a hotel with c250 rooms, Barreca & La Varra will design the affordable housing element of “Unione Zero,” Park Associati will take design charge of student housing with c700 beds and Scandurra Studio Architettura will design the free market residential space. The four appointed Italian firms boast a well-established track record in Italy and abroad, each with a distinctive Italian architectural style. The selected partners will work on the masterplan design by architectural studio Foster + Partners, guaranteeing its global vision, consistency and philosophy. The first construction phase of “Unione Zero” will unfold progressively from the second half of this year.
“We are very pleased with the results of the selection “which saw the participation of some of the most important architecture firms in Italy and abroad,” says Mario Abbadessa, Senior Managing Director & Country Head of Hines Italy. “The choice of the four outstanding Italian architectural practices is an important signal for our country. I am convinced that, while every studio has its own specific features and style, they will be integrated into a synergic project in line with Foster + Partners’ plan. The challenge will be innovating and projecting the area into the future with a contemporary project, while preserving the memory of an industrial site with a great history and enhancing its sustainability and integration with the local community.”
The design team working on the project are complemented by a number of technical professionals: Executive Architects (Artelia Italia, Jacobs Italia, SCE Project), Structural Engineers (Studio Capè Ingegneria, MILAN Ingegneria, SCE Project), Plant Engineers (Deerns Italia, ESA Engineering, Moving Ingegneria Impiantistica), Quantity Surveyor (Gad, Jacobs Italia), BIM Management (Jacobs Italia), and Architect of Record (Prelios Integra).
Source : Hines