MilanoSesto, a massive urban regeneration project in Milan, is redefining European expectations of what city renewal can achieve. The project covers over 1.5 million square meters, the site of the former Falck Steelworks, which ceased production in the 1990s.
The masterplan, designed by Support + Partners, creates a new urban paradigm, focusing on social connectivity and sustainability. It includes new squares, an ecological boulevard, and a 45-hectare urban park, one of the largest green spaces in the Lombardy region.
The former Falck Steelworks played a significant role in Italy’s 20th-century industrial identity, and its closure left a physical and social void. MilanoSesto aims to create a genuinely new piece of city, rather than just filling the void with buildings.
Existing industrial structures are being repurposed as civic and cultural anchors, such as the OMEC warehouse, which will become a food market, and the Treno Laminatoio steel shed, which will be reborn as a wellness and sport facility.
Mario Abbadessa, Senior Managing Director & Country Head of Hines Italy, stated that “MilanoSesto will serve as a shining example of our concept of sustainable real estate development for the long term, with the goal of providing a positive impact at a local and national level.”
The Unione Zero lot, the first privately funded phase of MilanoSesto, covers approximately 250,000 square meters. Four leading Italian architecture studios are designing the seven buildings under development, each bringing a distinct design sensibility.
The office building, designed by ACPV, will accommodate around 2,000 workers and targets certification from LEED and WELL. The building’s design reduces CO2 emissions through renewable energy procurement and auto-production.
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They are incorporating targets from LEED and WELL certification, circular economy principles, and a zero-emissions internal mobility strategy, responding to nine of the seventeen UN Sustainable Development Goals, covering environmental, social, and economic dimensions.
Social sustainability is also a key focus, with a residential mix that spans income levels, including market-rate, affordable, and subsidized housing, as well as student accommodation, making it a model for student housing investment.
Sesto San Giovanni, where MilanoSesto is located, sits at the north-eastern gateway to the Milan metropolitan area. The development is being matched by significant public infrastructure investment.
MilanoSesto has attracted consistent recognition from the international real estate and urban design community for its scale, complexity, and social ambition.
As the Unione Zero construction site becomes active, MilanoSesto is moving decisively from concept to reality.
It is emerging as a new neighborhood that the European real estate industry will be watching closely for years to come.
MilanoSesto’s impact will be significant.
