Data Center In Milan / AMA – Albera Monti & Associati

Architects: AMA – Albera Monti & Associati
Location: Milan, Italy
Architectural Project Team: Giovanni Albera [Principal in Charge], Mirjana Rikalo (Project Director), Nicolas Monti [Principal], Luciano Miano, Marilena Giupponi, Roberta Bettinzoli, Claudia Cimadori, Valentina Nardini
M.E.P. Design: Varese Controlli (Dario Bellocchio, Carlo Ascoli)
Structural Design: Corrado Danzo
Developer and asst manager: InPartner
General Contractor: Cile
Project area: 20,000 sqm
Project year: 2008 – 2009
Photographs: Beppe Raso

An obsolete Data Center has been rejuvenated and refitted into high-tech offices.

Construction was completed in less than 11 months; it included extensive demolitions, the addition of extra floors and new volumes, the complete redesign of internal circulation and workspace distribution, the implementation of up-to-date equipments, the creation of a 2-floor, 120-car, underground parking .

The project has evolved through the development of numerous design studies, particularly concerning the Northern-most part of the building.

The office complex (three partially connected buildings, nine floors) altogether 20.000 sqm, 12.000 of which offices, now hosts 800 workstations, meeting rooms and support spaces, a cafeteria, terraces for outdoor uses.

The fit-out was designed to accomodate the needs of a monotenant, Italease Bank, relocating its head office; however we designed spaces in order to guarantee future maximum flexibility of use, including multitenant use.

Minimalist fixtures, full-height glass-walls, soft hues, characterize the office spaces, while stronger tones are used to visually link workspaces to support areas. The redevelopment of the surrounding area involves the transformation of a parking lot into a pedestrian square and garden.

The new plaza is split in a “green” setting, with a lawn, green walls and a playground, and a “dry” setting, with pergolas and trellis covered with climbing plants.