Regeneration of Pirelli 39/

Project description as provided by the Architects.

COIMA SGR – the leading independent company in the asset management of real estate investment funds on behalf of institutional investors in Italy – has awarded Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS + R) and Stefano Boeri Architetti the international architectural competition for Pirelli 39 in Milan. The competition was launched on 25 November 2019 according to guidelines shared with the Municipality in Milan. The project was presented today by Manfredi Catella (CEO COIMA SGR), Elizabeth Diller (DS + R) and Stefano Boeri (Stefano Boeri Architetti). The site was first acquired by COIMA in 2019 on behalf of the COIMA Opportunity Fund II investment fund, financed by a pool of leading Italian banks consisting of UniCredit, Intesa San Paolo, UBI Banca and Banco BPM, following a public auction by the Municipality of Milan.

Pirelli 39 is located in the center of the Porta Nuova Gioia area in a strategic position between the Central Station and Scalo Farini and provides access to Porta Nuova from the north towards the city centre. It was decommissioned by the Municipality of Milan in March 2015, represents a significant opportunity to deliver value by upgrading the existing site, which is lacking in sustainability certifications, not compliant with anti-seismic standards, inefficient for modern use, haswith structural problems as well as pollution and environmental-urban-building degradation, and bringing it in line with the buildings in its surroundings. Its redevelopment is part of the regeneration process of the wider area that started with the redevelopment of Gioia 22 and will be completed in the coming years with the development of Pirelli 35 and Gioia 20.

The DS + R and Stefano Boeri Architetti proposal envisages a mixed use model of public-residential-tertiary spaces through the recovery of the existing tower, the bridge building over Melchiorre Gioia and the construction of a new tower.

New residential tower: 1,700 square meters of vegetation, distributed on the floors so that the flora and forna will change the colours of the building as the seasons change, will absorb 14 tons of CO2 and produce 9 tons of oxygen per year, like a 10 thousand square meters forest. With 2,770 square meters of photovoltaic panels, the tower will be able to self-produce 65% of its energy needs. The building includes structural parts in wood that will decrease its carbon footprint, including 1,800 cubic meters of wood for the floors that will save up to 3,600 tons of carbon dioxide in the construction phases.

Recovery of the existing building: the building will be adapted to meet the current standards of office spaces in terms of innovation and sustainability andin line with the Next Generation EU parameters; the project involves maintaining the character of the original building, while updating it in the plant equipment and energy performance and adjusting it structurally with the aim of enabling proper efficiency parameters solving its actual limits and allowing the reuse of the existing building rather than the alternative of demolition and total reconstruction.

Bridge building: using to the application of R.L. 18/2019, the project will redesign the separating ‘wall’ on Via Melchiorre Gioia by creating a new hub for events, shows and exhibitions, with meeting and wellness areas and a biodiverse greenhouse space as an extension of the Biblioteca degli Alberi that will be a dedicated laboratory to provide an immersive, educational, interactive and innovative experience among various plant species.

Pirelli 39 will be the first Italian project fully measurable according to ESG criteria:

• LEED Platinum, WELL Gold, WiredScore certifications
• contribution to achieve LEED and WELL for Community certification for the Porta Nuova district (first district in the world)
• zero use of fossil fuels
• level of operational CO2 emissions already aligned with the EU 2050 objectives
• building recovery >70% of the existing building and containment of construction emissions (<600 kg CO2 / m2)
• coverage of the annual energy requirement >65% from renewable sources
• creation of public and commercial spaces to contribute to the activation of the area
• activation of +5,000 jobs for design, construction and management phases
• €500 million of added value generated (direct, indirect and induced contribution of the economic activity carried out)

Client: COIMA SGR

Architects: DS + R, Stefano Boeri Architetti