IULM - 8
Cino Zucchi Architetti together with a team young Architects from ORTUS formed by Paolo Catrambone, Maria Ave Romani, Andrea Toccolini, Gresa Shehu e Federico Stefanoni, have won the first prize for the IULM University new building competition in Milano.
An attractive place in continuous metamorphosis.
Within the broader framework of the Milanese university system, IULM represents a hub of excellence and a catalyst for new urban dynamics. The complex of buildings that houses it forms a true campus that has grown over time around its original nucleus, blending some features of the Anglo-Saxon tradition - the structure of isolated pavilions in an open green space - with the courtyard and portico model typical of Italian history. Its rapidly changing urban context still reflects its original nature as a former suburb, where productive buildings alternate with offices, residences, and some public services.
The new IULM campus building simultaneously interprets the peculiarities of the urban surroundings, the requirements of the functional program, and the character of one of the most dynamic institutions in the field of higher education. Its proximity to the circle line railway and public transportation stops gives it a privileged presence on the pedestrian flow leading to the main entrance of the complex. The new building generates around it a system of diverse open spaces of high quality, creating an attractive place for the exchange of knowledge.
Spaces that embrace the present and look to the future.
The sequence of existing collective spaces forms the backbone of the complex. The internal street between IULM 1 and IULM 3 is enhanced by a layout that anticipates the entrance to the new building, creating a small square at ground level; it in turn overlooks a wide staircase leading to the cafeteria, located along with the swimming pool and fitness area at a lower level. The large glass facade on the west side reveals the triple-height space, the true heart of the building that connects all levels with a series of open staircases overlooking the void. Each part of the program is optimally placed according to its size and needs for light and access; the generosity of the connecting spaces allows for free workstations necessary for the work and study modalities brought by information technology.
Contemporary architecture, a new environmental and urban sensitivity.
The architecture of the building is based on the interpretation of a series of values that are shared today. The first is environmental preservation: its roof harnesses diffuse lighting from the north through sheds and the performance of south-facing photovoltaic panels to minimize energy consumption; all materials and technologies aim in the same direction, containing their embedded energy and subsequent maintenance costs.
The characteristics and language of the new building aim to constitute a careful reflection on the character of a "new urbanity" increasingly attentive to nature and the environment: its forms and materials - the serrated profile of the crown and the use of exposed brick and glass - are an interpretation of both the industrial origin of the area and the existing architectures of the campus, to which it is closely linked by a "family air." Finally, the cantilevered element that extends the facade along Via Russoli to the corner of Via Filargo and features a large liquid crystal display screen at the top embraces the existing green space in front of the cafeteria and constitutes a strong signal for those traveling by train and for pedestrians coming from Romolo. The care for the local scale thus combines with the dialogue with the metropolitan dimension, in a Milan increasingly present on the global stage also thanks to a series of new high-quality identity architectures.
