After so much verticality, this time CityLife "flies" low. The fourth building in the new district of Milan will in fact not be a skyscraper like the other three, which house the headquarters of Generali, Allianz and PwC, but a "reclining" structure, which extends horizontally, vaguely resembling a wave. Precisely for this reason, the name chosen for this last piece of construction site, inaugurated today in the presence of the mayor (and candidate for mayor) Beppe Sala, is CityWave. Designed by the studio BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group, CityWave has also received the "blessing" of Aldo Mazzocco, president of CityLife and CEO of Generali Real Estate SpA, who owns 100% of this entire urban redevelopment project, properties included, and boasts total managed assets of over 33 billion, as well as Armando Borghi, CEO of CityLife and Gabriele Galateri di Genola, President of Assicurazioni Generali.
Sustainability is obviously at the heart of the new structure (the building will be powered exclusively by renewable sources and will go beyond zero impact, generating more clean energy), but the concept is also considered innovative, betting on a new idea of workplace, after the pandemic has at least partially changed working paradigms. In fact, CityWave is not the classic executive office but a partly open area which, as mentioned, will be a champion of ecology. The photovoltaic panel cladding of the structure that covers the buildings called East and West will form the largest photovoltaic park in Milan and one of the largest urban photovoltaic parks in Italy, with an area of about 11.000 square meters of panels, capable of supplying an estimated energy production of 1.200 MWh per year, thanks to an installed power of nearly 2 MWh.
The same structure will also allow the collection and reuse of rainwater, as well as outlining a large green and covered public space, livable all year round. Furthermore, the building is designed to consume 45% less energy than the standard, thanks to solutions such as the thermal use of groundwater, with a saving of 520 tons of CO2 a year, equal to the emissions absorbed by 20.000 trees. The CityWave project has already obtained the LEED™ pre-certification, ranking at the Platinum level.
“The beginning of the construction works of the CityWave in CityLife – commented the mayor Beppe Sala – are a new strong sign of recovery that is being given to the whole city. The pandemic forced us to slow down and to get out of the emergency, but now it's time to move forward with determination and confidence in our abilities. This new construction completes the already emblematic CityLife district and shows the city we are building with its original design and characteristics of a 'positive impact' building: we will have the largest urban photovoltaic park, a rainwater reuse system, and a complex that will consume 45% less energy. It will be the symbol of the Milan we want: sustainable, international, beautiful”.
“This new generation building – added Mazzocco – represents a further 'step up' in the evolution of office buildings: a container for management activities that integrates objectives of positive impact on the environment and quality of life with new layouts of spaces after the lockdown shock. In this sense, we are defining a new paradigm for the world”. “CityWave – Borghi's reflection – represents the culmination of a journey that began over fifteen years ago which has made CityLife a new urban centrality, a unique destination in Milan, where quality of life, innovation and sustainability meet. We are already in an advanced stage of dialogue with leading market operators for the commercialization of the building, confirming the value of the project. We are also continuing to build the last residential lot of CityLife, which we will deliver in June 2022, while the completion of the public park is expected by the end of this year."
