Piazza Gae Aulenti

Piazza Gae Aulenti
© AECOM / Robb Williamson

PIAZZA GAE AULENTI

Aecom

ARCHITECTS
Aecom

LEAD ARCHITECTS
Pelli Clarke Pelli

LEAD ARCHITECT
Pelli Clarke Pelli

WATER FEATURE
Wed Fontane

EXECUTIVE DESIGN
Tekne

MANUFACTURERS
Ceramiche Frattini

MANAGEMENTS
Montana

INFRASTRUCTURE
Alpina

TRAFFIC CONSULTANTS
ATM

LIGHTING DESIGN
Castiglioni

CONSULTANTS
J&A Consultants Srl

LOCAL LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
LAND Milano

STRUCTURE
MSC

PROJECT ARCHITECTS
Adamson

ENGINEERS
Ariatta/Buro Happold

DESIGN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
James Haig Streeter, Claudio Zappia

FIRE PROTECTION
GTP

PHOTOGRAPHS
AECOM / Robb Williamson, Claudio Zappia, Hines - Sketch

CLIENT
Hines Italia

YEAR
2012

LOCATION
Milano, Italy

CATEGORY
Square

A new AECOM-designed piazza in the heart of Milan opened to large crowds and rave reviews in December 2012.

Piazza Gae Aulenti
© AECOM / Robb Williamson
Piazza Gae Aulenti
© AECOM / Robb Williamson
Piazza Gae Aulenti
© AECOM / Robb Williamson

This landmark new square is named after Gae Aulenti, the late Italian architect of the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, and sits at the heart of the Porta Nuova Garibaldi development adjacent to Milan’s main train station.

AECOM, winning the project as EDAW, architect César Pelli and Italian landscape designers Land have together provided a stunning new gateway to one of Europe’s most stylish cities.

Piazza Gae Aulenti
© AECOM / Robb Williamson
Piazza Gae Aulenti
© Claudio Zappia
Piazza Gae Aulenti
© Claudio Zappia

Linked to Milan’s main public transport hub (Garibaldi Railway station), the square is a key part of one of Italy’s largest regeneration projects.

As lead designer for the Porta Nuova public realm design, AECOM’s work includes the main public space, the Gae Aulenti Piazza Circolare, walkways and connections to the neighboring park. Strategic guidelines for the public space were established by Gehl Architects.

Piazza Gae Aulenti
© AECOM / Robb Williamson
Piazza Gae Aulenti
© AECOM / Robb Williamson

The Gae Aulenti Piazza is a stylish and beautiful space with sculptural features including a continuous flowing circle of seating surrounding a vast reflecting pool, 60 metres in diameter that reflects the colours of the changing seasons and surrounding buildings.

The pool cascades down two floors, the sound of which mitigates the noise pollution of surrounding roads, and creating three beautiful oval cascades that bring daylight and natural ventilation to spaces below.

Piazza Gae Aulenti
© AECOM / Robb Williamson
Piazza Gae Aulenti
© AECOM / Robb Williamson

The light wells that it creates connect the square with the retail floor and car parking below, whilst also allowing light and air to penetrate the surrounding towers’ deep footprints.

Italian newspapers Libero and Il Giornale described this spectacular public space as “the square of the future”, with Corriere della Sera reporting that thousands of people have visited in just three days following the grand opening. The result is a beautifully crafted, fitting contemporary to Italy’s grand tradition of elegant Piazzas.

Piazza Gae Aulenti
© AECOM / Robb Williamson


Piazza Gae Aulenti
© Claudio Zappia
Piazza Gae Aulenti
© Claudio Zappia
Piazza Gae Aulenti
© AECOM / Robb Williamson
Piazza Gae Aulenti
© Claudio Zappia


Piazza Gae Aulenti
© Hines - Sketch