These three office towers and the podium comprise the largest components of Porta Nuova Garibaldi, a mixed-use development north of Milan’s city centre. Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects designed the master plan for the 7-hectare development, which creates a new and grand gateway to the city. The towers — 31, 22, and 11 stories tall — include Italy’s tallest building, visible from more than six miles away. Spiraling upward, the 31-storey asymmetrical tower culminates in a sculptural stainless steel spire. Like the two smaller towers, the building is clad in reflective glass. Their narrow, curved forms enclose a circular piazza, a new public space that links the buildings to their surroundings. Facing the piazza, the facades incorporate sunshades, emphasising the buildings’ fluid shape. At the street level, the towers are clad in stone.
Around the piazza, a glass-and-steel, ring-shaped canopy connects the podiums of the three towers. Two levels of retail are above the piazza, with additional retail and dining at the sunken level. The podium contains parking and a direct connection to the Stazione Garibaldi rail station. Extending south, the piazza meets Corso Como, a pedestrian street of fashion shops, restaurants, and cafés. Energy consumption is reduced by 37% through high-performance glazing, advanced building systems, high efficiency lighting and daylight controls. Inside the buildings, filtered outside air, temperature monitoring systems create a comfortable working environment.
