EMBT has released its proposal for the Scali Milano study project, which invited five architectural teams—EMBT, Stefano Boeri, MAD architects, and Cino Zucchi Architetti—to reimagine Milan’s disused railway yards.

A citywide public consultation to define priorities for seven scali—train hubs—Scali Milano was initiated by FS Sistemi Urbani, in collaboration with the Municipality of Milan and the Lombardy Region, and aims to transform over one million square meters of brownfield into improved urban areas.

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Entitled Miracoli a Milano, EMBT’s proposal “focuses on the importance of water as a means to connect the city with its population, nature, and history.” Each of the seven railway districts is given its own character—“some of the scali will be dedicated to cultural programming, design, and fashion, while others are zoned for young companies and start-ups.”

Informed by elements from Naples, Paris, Hamburg, and Barcelona, the proposal seeks to address some of the main upcoming concepts in Milan, like urban agriculture, participatory and circular economy, soft mobility, and sustainability.

The Water will be a support and a medium for this regeneration: it will be the ‘miraculous’ element linking City, Nature, History, and different users such as pedestrians, bicyclists, and skaters, and transforming Milan into a more comfortable and happy place to live described the architects.

The seven new districts developed for the proposal include Scalo Farini, Scalo Porta Genova, Scalo San Cristoforo, and Scalo gredo-Breda.

Scalo Farini will be a “Water Hub,” featuring a large water body in the center of the district, surrounded by a linear park that will become “the second most extended green surface in the city.” This area will additionally include a Railway Museum, concert space, public swimming pool, Wellness Center, and residential buildings.

Scalo Porta Genova will be the project’s “Creativity Hub,” and will feature dedicated spaces for emerging entrepreneurs and a market, both of which will highlight design and fashion. This district will also be a center for nightlife, with “pubs, romantic walking paths, and lights reflected in the canal water.”

Scalo San Cristoforo will be the “Agriculture Hub,” where a large botanical garden will serve educational purposes so that visitors can learn about the agricultural roots of the Lombard territories.

Scalo Greco-Breda will be the “Light Hub,” featuring a system of pedestrian pathways, green platforms, and playgrounds that will become installations with lighting shows at nighttime.

Learn more about the project here, or about the alternate MAD proposal here.

Architects EMBT

Location Milan, Metropolitan City of Milan, Italy

Architect Benedetta Tagliabue –EMBT

Project Director Elena Nedelcu –EMBT

Project Coordinator Marzia Faranda –EMBT

Design Team Michela Cicuto, Stefano Belingardi, Davide Panelli, Ana Otelea, Federica Benedetti, Anna Martina Peccia, Lap Anthony Lin, Vincenzo Larocca, Hélène Dorny, Andrea Montiel, Federico Volpi, Annarita Luvero, Antonio Bergamasco, Anna Angelelli, Giacomo Destefani

External Consultants MatteoRuta,GabrieleMasera,FrancescoCausone,LorenzoMussone, Rosantonietta Scramaglia. (POLIMI). Elisabeth Gavrilovich, Emilio Pizzi, Luca Puri, Valerio Ferrari

Built Area 1250 HA

Typology Masterplan, urban regeneration

Project Year 2017

Photographs Courtesy of EMBT

News via: EMBT.