C+S architects completes europe’s largest affordable housing development in milan

opening an ‘urban door’ to the neighborhood and park

In Milan‘s Cascina Merlata, a neighborhood in the northwestern end of the city, C+S Architects completes a new affordable housing development — now the largest in Europe. Initially planned as a single fenced-in building, the Venice- and London-based architects ultimately divided the project into two volumes. These two towers looked down upon a new public space for the community along with an ‘urban door’ between the Village and the Park, the latter extending itself between the two volumes to become a public square.

The idea of a new community space, borrowing from the urban concept of the ‘Venetian campo’ is transported to Milan to create a square, a public space that connects the two residential towers, strengthening their community identity with a place designed for everyone.

image © Alessandra Bello

C+S architects against the gated community

C+S Architects (see more here) organizes its housing development in Milan around a new public square that creates a threshold between the built space and nature. The architects present the project in criticism of the ‘gated community.’ By introducing public space for the surrounding community, C+S Architects physically designs a square in material and chromatic continuity with the towers, which underlines the importance of sharing the collective space as a key point to strengthen the identity of the community.

The square is a free, durable, open public space, accessible to all (including the visually impaired) that connects the difference in height of about two meters between the park and the street, through a series of ramps. It is also a playful public space capable of transforming itself into a place of gathering, play, or rest.

Finished with white Prun stone, C+S Architects’ public square is dotted with a series of circular benches to prevent the intrusion of cars. The singular material and monochromatic space underlines the urban role of the complex as a threshold space between the park and the city.

image © Alessandra Bello

affordable apartments in milan

Meanwhile, the two towers rise twelve and fourteen meters (39 and 46 feet) over the piazza, and seem to have been broken in two from the same volume. Together, the buildings introduce 10,830 square meters (116,600 square feet) of residential space distributed between 103 apartments, all of which have been sold as affordable housing according to Regional regulations. The design team notes that all the units had sold in record time immediately after construction began.

image © Alessandra Bello
image © Pietro Savorelli