Milan, unveiled the Bicocca Pavilion, a new hub for innovation and research

Designed by the architecture studio Piuarch - which is entrusted with the entire regeneration plan for BiM - the Bicocca Pavilion is developed over an area of 800 square metres and consists of two above-ground levels and a basement.

The first floor, aimed at the development of business, innovation and entrepreneurship projects, will host flexible offices, meeting rooms and common areas for companies, research institutes, start-ups, universities and university spin-offs. Access to these spaces will be possible through a membership that will include dedicated services aimed at fostering networking between different realities and the realisation of innovative ideas. The ground floor, open to the public, is intended to host social impact initiatives on innovation and technology. A flexible space will host a cafeteria, an arena for meetings and talks, public events, study and work spaces and a cycle workshop.
Members will also have access to an auditorium, a gymnasium and a bicycle storage room with modern end-of-trip facilities (dedicated lockers, showers and toilets).

The white, extremely light structure, punctuated by the presence of vertical perimeter elements, inclined and staggered to create an impression of movement, refers to the fluid presence of the trees in the garden. The façade alternates between opaque aluminium elements, which reflect the green surroundings, and transparent glass windows, which allow natural light to enter the spaces almost unhindered, breaking the division between inside and outside.

"The university, also thanks to the MUSA project of which it is the lead partner (the Multilayered Urban Sustainability Action, the project for sustainable renewal in the Milan metropolitan area)," says Giovanna Iannantuoni chancellor of the University of Milan-Bicocca and president of MUSA - thus wants to enhance its impact on the local economy and contribute to the development of a virtuous and reproducible model of innovation at national level, to make Italy increasingly competitive on the international stage, inaugurating a new era of collaboration between the public and private sectors'.

"The creation of complex ecosystems capable of enhancing research and talent, and connecting them with companies in the area," comments Giovanni Manfredi, managing director Aermont Capital, "is a key ingredient in urban regeneration processes, a best practice at international level.

"The realisation of the Bicocca Pavilion is an important step within the large urban regeneration project BiM that we are carrying out with Aermont Capital and MTDM," says Giancarlo Patri, head of fund and asset aanagement at Kervis Sgr. "Thanks to the attention to detail, BiM makes an important contribution to the creation of an attractive ecosystem in a modern district that is well connected to the urban context, such as Milano Bicocca.

"Venture building," explains Riccardo Porro, chief operating officer of Cariplo Factory, "is one of the innovation models with the highest potential and, with the multiplication of initiatives, the Italian market is also moving towards a phase of maturity. In this context, we believe that the Bicocca Pavilion can be an effective answer both for experimenting new technology transfer mechanisms and for activating business-led innovation processes, thus enabling companies to face competitive challenges and transformational changes'.