Coima announces new green regeneration project in Milan

What Coima’s Pirelli 39 project in Milan will look like

The green regeneration of Milan continues: Coima, the company responsible for the Porta Nuova district, has announced a new large-scale €300 million project in the nearby Gioia district.  

The mixed-use project called ‘Pirelli 39’ involves the regeneration of the existing Pirellino office tower to modernise it and make it ‘green’and the building of a new 25-storey, 110-metre high residential tower entirely covered in 1,700 square metres of vegetation and trees, similar to the ‘Vertical Forest’ building in Porta Nuova which has become a city landmark.

Coima have just announced the winners of an international competition that was launched by the group in 2019. They are the collaborative team of DSR in the US and Stefano Boeri Architetti in Italy. Elizabeth Diller, partner at DSR, is best known for creating Manhattan’s celebrated High Line.

‘The Pirelli 39 project presents a great opportunity to develop a new model of mixed-use development and sustainable urban growth, combining the adaptive re-use of heritage buildings with environmentally responsible new construction,’ said Diller. ‘We’re thrilled to have this opportunity to make a meaningful architectural contribution to the city of Milan, our first project in Italy’.

The competition attracted a lot of attention: 70 projects, submitted by 359 architects’ studios from 15 countries, took part in the contest. The winning scheme has been chosen because of its focus on environmental impact, continuity with the urban transformation of the area and the relationship between nature and the city.

Pirelli 39 will be the first Italian redevelopment to be built in line with Next Generation EU standards, Coima said, and the project will also have LEED Platinum, WELL Gold and WiredScore certification. The office building will be retrofitted with seismic and sustainability upgrades, with stringent building efficiency standards to combat climate change.

The vegetation covering the residential tower will absorb 14 tons of CO2 and produce 9 tonnes of oxygen per year, comparable to a 10,000 square metre forest. With its 2,770 square metres of photovoltaic panels, the tower will be able to produce 65% of its energy needs, while the use of wood in the structure of the building will decrease its carbon footprint.

A bridge will connect the office building and the new residential tower and it will be a hub for events and shows, as well as housing a biodiverse greenhouse for educational projects. The greenhouse is seen as an extension of the nearby ‘Library of trees’, part of the Porta Nuova project.

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