MoLo | Mobility and Logistic hub | MAD architects

MIND West Gate, Lotto 03.1 Milan / Italy / 2024

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5 Love 2,143 Visits Published

Named the MoLo (short for Mobility and Logistic hub), the complex is 28.5 meters high with a length of 170 meters and a width of 50 meters. Working together with Architect Andrea Nonni, Open Project, and Progeca, MAD's design which comprises an outside gross surface area of 68,800 square meters and a surface gross area of 11,195 square meters, brings together several facilities across over 11 square miles. The MoLo was designed to perform as a welcoming entrance and education space for issues related to mobility in which visitors can drop off their cars to explore the district on foot and see innovative transportation technology in person.

With seven levels above ground and one underground, the MoLo includes three thousand square meters of commercial space on the ground floor, as well as laboratories, offices and a supermarket. Visible from nearly all angles, however, the dazzling five-story parking structure is the centerpiece of the MoLo. With a capacity of 1,500 automobiles, the parking structure was designed as a gateway for those arriving from the Rho municipality and other main routes along the western half of MIND. Because the MoLo is situated on the border between two municipalities, the complex design aims to dissolve that separation through a public interchange tunnel crowned by a sculptural set of polished metal staircases.

Like several other projects by MAD Architects — including Gardenhouse in Beverly Hills and One River North in Denver, Colorado — the MoLo is designed as an integration of nature and architecture. The main facades, for instance, will be adorned with lush vegetation that will beautify the neighborhood while capturing airborne carbon. The use of vertical landscaping as a design element also allows the MoLo to visually blend into the verdant landscaping of its surroundings. In addition, an open gallery near the public interchange tunnel that cuts diagonally across the ground floor along the center of the building in an effort to blur the boundary between indoor and outdoor while physically connecting the MoLo to the nearby Rho-Arese park. The ceiling of the gallery is marked by a large cloud-like sculpture that undulates in the direction of pedestrian movement.

True to the new district’s commitment to sustainability and 21st century technological innovations, the MoLo will be assembled within a prefabricated concrete frame structure in accordance with the Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) method, a standard for ensuring a streamlined and efficient construction process that reduces material waste and labor hours. In addition, the complex will be developed in accordance with the green building certification program LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), and will house a photovoltaic field of panels spanning more than eight thousand square meters on the upper surfaces that will act as an abundant source of renewable energy for the surrounding district.

The molo is the latest of many projects MAD has designed in Europe following several installations for Milan Design Week and 71 Via Boncompagni, an adaptive reuse project located in the heart of Milan. Altogether, it weaves innovative function with cutting edge technology and striking form to demonstrate what the future holds for transportation systems in urban centers around the world. It is expected to begin construction in September 2022.


 


Location: MIND – Milano Innovation District (Milano, Italia)


Site Area:9,700sqm


Building Area:68,700sqm


Building Height: 28.5 meters


 


Architectural designer: MAD Architects


Project leader and project manager: Architetto Andrea Nonni


Executive architecture, engineeing, coordination and LEED: Open Project srl


Structural and MEP engineering, Acoustics, LEED: Progeca srl


 


Principal Partners in Charge: Ma Yansong, Dang Qun, Yosuke Hayano


Associate Partners in Charge: Andrea d’Antrassi


Design Team: Romina Carpentieri , Alessandro Fisalli, Paolo Pirri, Francesco Nardacci, Aldo Schirripa Spagnolo, Francesco Pasta, Anna Spaggiari, Elena Bellocchio


 



 

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    Named the MoLo (short for Mobility and Logistic hub), the complex is 28.5 meters high with a length of 170 meters and a width of 50 meters. Working together with Architect Andrea Nonni, Open Project, and Progeca, MAD's design which comprises an outside gross surface area of 68,800 square meters and a surface gross area of 11,195 square meters, brings together several facilities across over 11 square miles. The MoLo was designed to perform as a welcoming entrance and...

    Project details
    • Year 2024
    • Work started in 2022
    • Work finished in 2024
    • Client LendLease Italy SGR S.p.A.
    • Status Current works
    • Type Multi-purpose Cultural Centres / Concert Halls / Showrooms/Shops
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    Lovers 5 users