In pictures: 2026 Winter Olympics Athletes’ Village
After the Games, Coima’s project in Porta Romana will be transformed into much-needed student housing. Nicol Dynes reports.
Coima has completed the 2026 Winter Olympics Athletes’ Village in Porta Romana, Milan, in just 30 months and ahead of schedule and has handed over the project to the Milano Cortina Foundation ahead of the Games opening in February.
The scheme, designed by architect Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), has been developed to the highest standards of sustainability, making it one of the greenest Olympic Village developments ever.
After the Games, it will be transformed into student housing, helping to address a significant shortfall of quality student accommodation in Milan. By providing 1,700 beds post-Games, the village will become Italy’s largest student housing scheme.
“Completing the Olympic Village in just 30 months and delivering it 30 days ahead of schedule is already a victory for Italy as we prepare for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games,” said Manfredi Catella, founder and CEO of Coima. “The Village sets a new global benchmark for sustainability, not only through its low environmental impact but also through its enduring legacy. This project is also the cornerstone of the wider Scalo Romana regeneration, transforming a historic transport hub into a vibrant, resilient community for generations to come.”
The Olympic Village comprises six newly constructed residential buildings for athletes, alongside the transformation of two historic structures – the former Squadra Rialzo locomotive workshop and the Basilico building. The development also includes 40,000 sq m of community spaces, green areas and three sports courts.
Creating a neighbourhood
The Olympic Village Plaza will become a vibrant neighborhood square, with the surrounding public spaces home to shops, bars, restaurants, and cafes at street level, as well as farmers’ markets and community events.
Additional features include LED lighting with sensors, advanced rainwater collection and reuse systems, and infrastructure supporting sustainable mobility such as bike lanes, bicycle parking, and electric vehicle charging stations. The development is a pilot project for carbon neutrality under Milan’s Air and Climate Plan and is fully aligned with EU Taxonomy regulations.
Coima Image designed the interiors, while Michel Desvigne was responsible for landscaping and the public realm. Construction was delivered entirely by an Italian supply chain, with contracts totaling €140 million awarded following a rigorous sustainability performance evaluation.
Architecturally, the Village draws inspiration from Milan’s historic buildings, combining restraint and clarity of expression with contemporary low-carbon construction methods. Modular design, prefabricated facade panels, and a streamlined construction sequence have significantly reduced embodied carbon.
After the Olympics, the village will become a vibrant, self-sustaining neighbourhood built around principles of social equity, environmental commitment, wellness, inclusivity, and resilience. It will be seamlessly integrated into the broader neighbourhood through a civic and cultural activation programme, featuring a curated calendar of events inspired by the successful cultural programme at BAM – Biblioteca degli Alberi Milano, managed by Fondazione Riccardo Catella as part of Coima’s Porta Nuova development.
