Symbiosis is taking the lead in urban renewal. In a section of Milan – Porta Romana – a business district is being formed to give the residents a new space, full of innovation with the bonds of company and community at its core. The buildings are designed with a focus on ecological sustainability, with the area sprawling across 100,000sq metres.
For the new Fastweb Headquarters located here, the results are sleek and clean. With architecture from ACPV (Antonio Citterio and Patricia Viel), the building is large and imposing. The neutral monocolour enforces its bold presence but maintains a softness.
Cotto d’Este were chosen to provide the façades. Specified were the 3.5mm-thick Argerot from the Cluny Kerlite3Plus collection. These pieces give a matt finish, and texture is revealed under touch. The resulting design is suprisingly calm given it’s size, and it sets a precedent for the structures yet to come.
The Symbiosis project is designed to balance quality of life with productivity, combining sustainable technologies, common areas, and green spaces – including small woodlands and lakes. The working lives of those in the district is sure to be greatly improved by this innovative project.
A new post by Hanna Simpson, Diary of a Tile Addict, September 2019.