Experia

The Experia Masterplan is a 480,000 sqm urban regeneration plan for the Milan Expo area, proposed by the Vitali – Condotte – Stam consortium with both HOK and Progetto CMR as Lead Architects. 

Experia is a sustainable urban requalification, a new human-scale centre of excellence for Milan where research, healthcare, innovation, culture, education and well-being are all synergically integrated. In preserving and enhancing the natural and cultural landscape of 2015 Expo, the Masterplan creates an urban scenario designed for and with the people who will experience it.

Based on the concepts of urban, emotional and temporal re-connection, Experia creates new “architectural vibrations”, in a multicentric and multifunctional iconic district that develops around a linear park. 

The project keeps the existing modular grid and the two main axis of the Expo area, the Cardo and Decumano. The Decumano is transformed into a green promenade used for public transportation and pedestrian circulation, allowing people to fully enjoy the Park Experience, the 440,000 sqm linear park that crosses the entire masterplan in a “bar-code” movement. 

The ratio of built and natural areas is well balanced in order to achieve the goals set by the sustainability triple bottom line: building volumes ensure economical sustainability; the variety of functions improves social sustainability, while the adopted architectural solutions limit soil consumption thus enhancing environmental sustainability. 

Experia counts three main districts:

The Technology District to the West, dedicated to offices, labs and start-ups;
The Research District, dedicated to urban farming, data analysis and pharmacy;
The Innovation District to the East end, dedicated to finance, fashion and design firms.

Each district features a Landmark tower, contributing to the creation of a new and attractive skyline in Milan. The new buildings are harmonically integrated with the pre-existing structures (such as the Tree of Life and the Italian Pavilion), which will not be dismantled and – on the contrary - will be given new functions.

Daniel Hajjar of HOK summarises the Experia project as, “ …the redevelopment of the Expo site has given Milan a unique opportunity to regenerate the urban fabric and provide a level of optimism that is reinforced through pieces of the Expo Legacy. The site provides a strong focus to the entire area with the ability to create a unique hub in Milan.”

Energy efficiency is a key focus in Experia: renewable energy will amount to 75% of the energy consumption for heating and cooling, heated water and artificial lighting. Mobility strategies aim at limiting consumption and pollution as well, promoting public and shared transportation modes.

As Massimo Roj summarises: “Experia represents a launching pad of the Milan of the future: a smart, innovative, self-sufficient, multi-functional district that is well-connected with other areas. A fully sustainable model which can be gradually applied to the entire city”. 

Experia is the result of an international team-working. The consortium, led by Vitali, Condotte and Stam, with HOK and Progetto CMR as main architects, is supported by a large and varied group of experienced consultants: Ambiente Italia, IBM, KCity, MIC Mobility in Chain, Politecnico di Milano, SD Partners and Siemens.