SkyscraperCity Forum banner

MILAN | CityLife - Generali Tower | 177m | 582ft | 43 fl | Com

468K views 1K replies 97 participants last post by  IThomas 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
A ‘twisted’ tower designed by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) is currently under construction as part of a project which will dramatically alter the skyline of Milan, Italy. Forming part of the CityLife Milano masterplan, and situated in the city’s historic Fiera district, The LEED Gold certified Hadid Tower (Torre Hadid) will be 170m high with 44 floors.

Containing both commercial and office space, with a shopping area which connects to the metro station, the Hadid Tower is being built alongside the 220m Arata Isozaki & AssociatesTower (‘the straight one’) and the 150m Daniel Libeskind Tower (‘the curved one’).

Designed with a distinctive twisted shape and dubbed ‘Lo storto’ (the Twisted One) the retail section situated at the bottom of the tower rises and twists to give way to a galleria and promenade. These twisting lines continue up through the tower to form a vertical ‘spiralling vector’.

http://constructionreviewonline.com...rently-under-construction-in-italy#addcomment
 
See less See more
1
#118 ·
More info about the central plaza


The Tre Torri Plaza is located in the center of the three towers along the pedestrian pathway which links Largo Domodossola with the new city park. The double story plaza reveals itself at the two principle levels of the public domain, one being the towers’ ground floor (+129) and the other in correspondence to the hypogean level (+122), acting as a junction between the park and the pedestrian axis Domodossola. Within the same design scope is the below ground parking in addition to the basement levels of the Il Dritto tower which connect the parking lots to the above commercial activity.

The revision of the plaza's layout stems from variations in its functional program, or rather of its spatial distribution, and the desire to create a single public place made up of two open spaces at different levels. Retail functions, strongly characterized in part by the fashion mall at the base of the Lo Storto tower, and the outdoor commercial activity distributed around the plaza and along the pathway towards Piazza VI Febbraio, permit the public square to open itself up to the city and the surrounding park. Hence, the project's strong urban character integrates well into the metropolitan area.

The public plaza’s configuration highlights three important aspects. Firstly, the plaza links the park's southern and northern parts, therefore between the present day Piazza Giulio Cesare and Via Domodossola. Secondly, it establishes an East-West relationship, which correlates Piazza VI Febbraio with the fashion mall and park to the west. Finally, the central Tre Torre Plaza is an urban fulcrum and integral part to the pathway system described. Moreover, this horizontal movement flow network superimposes a vertical system, which links all three towers at both their access levels, and the two public reference levels of the entire project, with the metro station.


The strong spatial articulation is resolved through large openings that overlook the hypogea plaza, freeing the view of the three towers from below and allowing for a direct integration with the same. The lower level, defined by the ceiling design that turns up into the large apertures and partly onto the blind facades between the windows, reinforces once again the continuity of place between diverse levels.

The plazas' overall size and structure along with the typology of the adjacent enclosed spaces determines the character given to specific parts of the open space system. In general, in this design phase, there has been a significant increase in green surfaced areas as a means to emphasize the spacial diversities. Large trees masses planted in the plaza’s north and south areas are in continuity with the park.

The shrubbery and ornamental grasses, which ornate the flowerbeds in front of the towers help to confer a certain intimacy to the private outdoor areas. On the western side of the plaza, groups of trees with circular flowerbeds, inserted into the pavement motif, anticipate the future connection with this end of the park. Finally, shrubs and colorful flowered borders, some of which will variate with the change of seasons frame all openings.

The plaza’s extensive size necessitated a characterizing canopy element that could emphasize not only the central role bestowed on the public place but at the same time offer the main pedestrian routes protection from the natural elements. The canopies introduce the human scale; they address the needs of the pedestrian. Their horizontal lines read in contrast with the verticality of the towers, whose reference is to the metropolitan scale and to the area's trade fair origins.

The plaza's illumination source, based on the City's traditional street lighting fixtures, hang from cables strung between facing buildings. In this specific case, the electrical cables use the canopy's structural supports as their starting point and run in an appropriate manner throughout the open space illuminating both levels at the same time.​
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top