MILAN HAS A NEW GARDEN AND ARTIFICIAL SKY

September 9, 2021

Milan is a city in rapid growth in terms of new architectures, new economies, new cultures and new gardens. Nonetheless, Milan used to be referred to as a ‘’grey city’’, where concrete dominated every corner. Public parks like Parco Sempione, Guastalla Gardens, Trotter Park, Bosco in città, Lambro Park, Indro Montanelli Gardens and many others were not enough for such a big city. This is not true anymore. Gardens are invading squares, streets, balconies and whole buildings. A great amount of attention is given to the comfort given by plants.

An example is the area of the new Porta Nuova which keeps growing especially since 2015, the year of Expo, with the BAM – Biblioteca degli Alberi (Trees Library) and the famous Bosco Verticale by archistar Stefano Boeri.

Even in Melchiorre Gioia Boulevard, one of the main roads of the city not far from the new Porta Nuova Complex, with not much plants along the axis, a new building was designed not only to host a new garden, but also a new artificial sky. It is called Giardini d’Inverno, which means Winter Gardens.

Private balconies literally work as greenhouses accommodating various plants and vegetation offering an outdoor living space ever growing and mutating; with the aid of a particular lighting solution, the greenhouses infuse life in the whole façade celebrating nature, light and technology.

The outdoor lighting concept is based on the intention to recreate an artificial sky over every balcony, aiming not only at guaranteeing sufficient light for the plants, but also dissolving the balconies volumes and creating a new everchanging architecture.

Winter Gardens won the Award of Merit at the 48th Annual IES Illumination Awards.

Leo Torri