‘lighthouse’ office tower will revive milan’s urban fabric with new green spaces

international architecture and interior design practice ACPV ARCHITECTS Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel unveils the design for the new milan headquarters of italian multi-utility company A2A. the project named torre faro or lighthouse tower in italian reimagines the company’s office spaces as capable of adapting to people’s ever-changing needs at work. while. the 144-meter-high office tower will revive the local urban fabric with 6,320 sqm of new green public spaces.

all images courtesy of ACPV ARCHITECTS Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel

torre faro by ACPV ARCHITECTS Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel will connect milan’s historic center and periphery by reviving a north-south axis that runs from the city center through via crema and piazza trento all the way to ACPV’s symbiosis business district, located just across the disused railway yard. ‘the a2a headquarters project creates a new vertical village for the firm’s operations. it is designed for people to enjoy working in the company of their colleagues and to encourage spontaneous professional and personal interactions,’ says antonio citterio, architect and co-founder of ACPV.

the new tower can accommodate 1,500 people in spaces that are flexible, open, and are complemented by a green courtyard shared with the museum of energy – located inside the existing buildings that will be revitalized with the project. vertically, the tower is centrally divided into two sets of office floors framed by the spacious entrance hall on the first floor, the sky garden in the middle, and the belvedere on top. the architecture of the building addresses future professional needs by integrating flexible spaces – including co-working lounges and informal meeting rooms – that can be reconfigured for multiple uses.

ACPV ARCHITECTS Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel creates a new pedestrian-friendly urban district where local businesses can thrive and ensured the site is open to public use in order to minimize the tower’s footprint. beyond the A2A headquarters, the urban regeneration project extends from the neighboring piazza trento to the closest metro station through via crema. enlarged pedestrian areas, two new squares, additional green areas, and bicycle paths will turn the area into a diverse, multigenerational, and attractive neighborhood.

‘the new tower and the renovation of the firm’s existing buildings transform the architectural volumes to allow for a seamless passageway from milan’s city center to the porta romana disused railway yard and the symbiosis business district that is currently taking shape,’ says claudio raviolo, head of the project and partner at ACPV ARCHITECTS Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel.

A2A’s new headquarters is located in an area of milan that is currently experiencing deep transformation and is expected to be completed by 2024. the new tower will redefine the role of the district in harmony with the nearby symbiosis business district, facilitating the transfer of major service sector operations to this part of the city. ‘the new tower and the renovation of the firm’s existing buildings transform the architectural volumes to allow for a seamless passageway from milan’s city center to the porta romana disused railway yard and the symbiosis business district that is currently taking shape,’ claudio raviolo, head of the project and partner at ACPV ARCHITECTS Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel, says.

project info:

name: torre faro or lighthouse tower

architects: ACPV ARCHITECTS Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel

team: antonio citterio, patricia viel, with claudio raviolo (partner in charge), and massimo frigerio, pasquale dacchille, clara alfieri, lucrezia castagnoli, cristiano piagnerelli, gioele foschi, giovanni saputo, paolo migliori, daniele raimondi, luciana ricca.

location: milan, italy