Milano - P.ta  Vittoria

Residential buildings - 96 apartments and two floors of garages
(with arch. A Foresti)

2009

The industrial regeneration plan by the BEIC – European Library designers, Nonis, Rafael Mondeo and Bolles + Wilson, affecting the whole abandoned area of the old Porta Vittoria station (155,000 m²) was approved in 2002. The residential gross floor area acquired by Studio Ticozzi’s client measures 12,000 m², out of a total of 55,000 m² for private and multi-purpose use. The final design for the residential units totally remoulds the layout of the industrial regeneration project lot, following the funnel shape of the old railway tracks. As a result, all the residential units face south and overlook park areas. Two block of flats, respectively 6 to 9 storeys high and 9 storeys high, mark the boundaries of the residential lot. The first one is twofold: the 9-storey high side lies on the slanted boundary of the abandoned railway track convergence; while the 6-storey high side embedded into the eastern side of the former building terminates with a diagonal cut along the southern boundary of the allocated lot, overlooking the central part of the public park. The second building, a slim L-shaped tower, also features 9 storeys and follows the edge of the 6-floor building and the eastern boundary of the lot. The buildings are supported by slightly sunken pilotis. The majority of apartments are large, and all have deep covered terraces or under-roof areas. All the façades are clad with 1.30x1,80m reconstructed stone slabs, made of Carrara marble paired with aluminium and fibreglass honeycomb supports and anchored onto a double galvanised steel structure.. While the 8th and 9th floors of the taller buildings are clad with beige-coloured slabs of "Santa Fiora" stone. Doors and windows are made of light wood on the inside and reddish-purple coated aluminium on the outside. The balconies and terraces have transparent safety glass parapets and raised edges for water to flow directly into the downpipes. There are two floors below ground: the partial “shell or tortoise” roof of the ramp is shaped like a spiral shell and provides the pattern for the access routes to the pilotis and for the green areas. The perfectly south-facing façade of the L-shaped 9-storey building is donned with a basic yet imposing brushed stainless steel sundial. The building falls into energy class “B” and has a central heating system with calculated heat and air conditioning distribution to every apartment (96 apartments).