Torre Velasca, the renowned 1950s skyscraper by BBPR in Milan, Italy, is currently undergoing an extensive renovation process led by Asti Architetti and developed by Hines. After completing the work on the facades and with the extensive restoration of the interiors under way, the office has made public the project for the redesign of the Piazza Velasca, the square surrounding the tower. By turning it into a meeting and social gathering place, the architects hope to restore the status of the complex as a symbol of Milan’s architectural heritage. Pedestrian access to the building, and the renovation of previously disused adjacent spaces will open up the area for public access and will restore the original meaning of “piazza,” or square. The project is scheduled for completion by early 2024.
As a symbol of modern Italian architecture, Torre Velasca has marked the skyline of Milan since 1958. Its surrounding square, neglected in recent years, is now set to be redesigned to create a more seamless transition from public space to the tower itself. The space will feature modern urban furniture, along with green areas characterised by ornamental elements of greenery adapted to the changing seasons. The trees, including olive trees and magnolias, will be planted in underground tanks.
The pavement of the square, made of large trachyte slabs, is inspired by historical Milanese squares. The drawing of the pavement creates an extension of the ribbed pillars of the Velasca Tower in the four sectors surrounding the building. Red porphyry cubes, locally known as “Sanpietrini,” will be reintroduced in the paving project as a reconnection of the block with Via Velasca. The perimeter of the square will feature sidewalks clad and bordered by granite slabs. Additionally, two BBPR-designed historic street lamps will undergo restoration and conservation rehabilitation of all elements, while the other light sources will be equipped with LEDs lighting systems.
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Milan Architecture City Guide: 15 Must-See Landmarks and 15 Contemporary Attractions in Italy's Fashion CapitalThe materials and distribution of spaces around the tower strive to help re-establish its connection to the rest of the city. The reorganisation also includes spaces for Milan’s bike sharing service to integrate the building into the concept of the “15-minute city.” The project for the renovation of Torre Velasca and the surrounding square is being overseen by Asti Architetti, in collaboration with ARS Aedificandi, studio CEAS, ESA Engineering, and in an ongoing discussion with the Archaeological, Fine Arts and Landscape Superintendence of Milan.
In designing Piazza Velasca, my hand was guided by the precise desire to return the Tower's ground junction to the city, reinterpreting its relationship with the immediate surroundings. Torre Velasca has always been a landmark of Milan's skyline, yet not part of the daily life of the Milanese, who have hardly had a direct, close relationship with their Tower. The "foot" of the Tower has always been experienced by citizens as a "non-place" that inevitably did not allow for a proper osmotic relationship between the building and their neighbourhood. Therefore, we designed a space respecting the Tower itself, a sort of "secular churchyard" that at the same time would enhance its dimensional and architectural aspects, encouraging the right relationship of constant interweaving with the city. - Paolo Asti
With many iconic modern works of architecture under the threat of demolition, such as Kenzo Tange’s Kagawa National Gymnasium in Japan or Louis Kahn’s Complex at IIM in Ahmedabad, India, the theme of repairing and restoring modern heritage is gaining more and more relevance. Recently, Diller Scofidio + Renfro have revealed the project to restore Frank Lloyd Wright’s Kalita Humphreys Theater in Dallas, United States. On a similar note, Selldorf Architects’ restoration proposal for the Sainsbury Wing, originally designed by Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown, has received planning permission, while the project has attracted some criticism, as some considered the intervention too intrusive.
