New York-Style Living in Milan’s Green Border

In 1927 the great Modernist architect Le Corbusier wrote: “A house is a machine for living in”. Just over a hundred years later, this sentence is still true, except that nowadays buyers expect that machine to be more sustainable, greener, energy efficient and wirelessly enabled. They also demand a range of features and functions to make their house or condo even more livable: concierge services, storage space, coworking and meeting areas, leisure facilities and even a bar or social area where they can relax and mingle with their neighbors.

The trend towards greener, smarter homes offering the sort of extras we normally associate with a luxury resort has been driven by a new sort of occupant: urban, professional, young (or young at heart) and with an international outlook. Influenced by the kind of lifestyle we associate with New York – fast-paced, demanding and open to all the cultural experiences the city has to offer – these people at the high end of the market are no longer content with just finding the right building in the right location: they expect their home to offer every convenience imaginable in order to facilitate the way of life we are used to seeing in Hollywood movies and on hit US TV series such as Suits.

However, according to The New York Times, today’s must-have amenity is “a little green space”. Eran Chen, the founding principal of architects ODA, told the paper: “I actually believe that there’s going to be a major shift in what’s considered luxury”, and added that “buying any luxury real estate in New York without outdoor space will be considered unacceptable.”

In Milan, these trends can be best seen in luxury developments such as Milano 3.0 Next Generation Living, the latest addition to the Milano 3 neighborhood in the south-west of the city, nestled in the lush greenery, 20 minutes by car from the city centre. Bordering a lake and connected to the rest of the Milano 3 village by a new bicycle and pedestrian pathway, the 260 apartments of Milano 3.0 (due for completion this year) feature a host of amenities aimed at satisfying the demand for smart living as well as meeting the highest environmental standards. Despite its rural feel, Milano 3 is only a short drive away from the city and is serviced by public transport links including bus, tram (from Rozzano) and metro (the nearest stops are Assago Milanofiori Forum and Abbiategrasso, both on the M2 line).

Energy efficiency is of paramount importance in modern residential units. Respecting the environment and reducing household bills are both uppermost in the mind of developers and customers. The apartments of Milano 3.0 are designed to the meet the highest energy standards and employ the latest green technology including roof-mounted solar panels and geothermal heat pumps. The complex will be energy class A4 and has been designed to achieve LEED environmental certification. A state-of-the-art monitoring system helps to reduce water consumption and all the units are equipped with temperature and humidity controls. Sensors to detect CO₂ and VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) also help ensure the safety and wellbeing of residents.

As Paolo Chironi, Fund Manager of DeA Capital Real Estate SGR underlines, the main advantage of living in a village-style development such as Milano 3.0 is “the feeling of community and shared on-site facilities that can be enjoyed with neighbours, something that is especially important for families”.

Perhaps the biggest innovation in condos has been driven by the pandemic: facilities for working from home. According to Jeremy Brutus of amenity and tech consultants URBN Playground, “During COVID some residential buildings have designed and installed new office stations within their amenity spaces; others have retrofitted existing lounges and community rooms to stand up to the demands of the newly remote workforce.” This is definitely another trend that has been adopted by developers here in Italy. For example, Milano 3.0 features a co-working area overlooking the lake, where residents can enjoy all the benefits afforded by a city-centre office without the hassle of commuting.

Among the other services on offer at Milano 3.0 are the conciergerie and a locker room where residents can receive home deliveries. There are also internal and external fitness areas, as well as indoor and outdoor play areas for children. A dedicated space for community activities is also available, as are rooms reserved for bicycle and stroller storage. This expansion in the number and range of amenities reflects the changing post-Covid lifestyle of urbanites.

Milano 3.0 is not only an urbanized green oasis: it is also strategically located in terms of the surrounding resources and amenities that residents can take advantage of. In addition to local doctors and dentists, as well as two private multi-specialist medical centres, the world-class Humanitas Hospital is on its doorstep. Nearby schools include the American School of Milan and the brand new SIS – Swiss International School – due to open in September 2024. Milano 3 boasts the VG supermarket, high quality bakeries and the Casa Fassona butcher’s shop. Locals can enjoy a choice of ten excellent restaurants (including Japanese and Italian cuisine, as well as the Casa Fassona Garden). Sporting facilities on offer feature the nearby Tolcinasco golf course, the Milano 3 health and lifestyle Sporting Centre, tennis courts, padel and a range of other leisure activities. The headquarters of the Banca Mediolanum as well as its Corporate University are located in Milano 3. The surrounding area is characterized by fields and lakes but also offers easy access to the Fiordaliso shopping mall and the Scalo Milano Outlet. 

Milano 3 is also a quiet, safe place that enjoys 24-hr security, in addition to the local Carabinieri and police station. Another unique safety feature of the development is that it is constructed on a raised platform (the Podium), above street level, which makes the entire complex particularly safe for children and animals because it is well away from the dangers of cars and passing traffic.

Of course, a luxury apartment building in harmony with nature is as much a statement about the owners’ taste and values as it is a solution to finding somewhere to live: aesthetics and respect for the environment are an integral part of the appeal of modern and sustainable architect-designed dwellings. Milano 3.0, the project by Atelier(s) Alfonso Femia, features a diamond-etched ceramic “skin” custom-designed for Milano 3.0 by Femia, which gives the buildings a shimmering, iridescent appearance as it catches the changing light; the colour is a tribute to the palette used for the existing Milano 3 buildings, allowing the new condos to blend in harmoniously. (The same attention to detail is reflected in the high-end, custom finishes employed in the interiors of the development).

The facades of Milano 3.0 are characterized by loggias, bay windows and full-height glazing; but the defining feature of Milano 3.0 is undoubtedly the way it integrates greenery both in the external areas of its six buildings as well as in the beautifully landscaped setting, shading into the surrounding countryside of the Parco Agricolo, close to Milan’s southern zone 3. 

Milano 3.0 is truly a monumental achievement. According to Renzo Misitano, director of DeA Capital’s Real Estate Development Division, “Every project that comes to life fills those who have worked hard to make it possible with pride and satisfaction. Particularly for us, this project represents a challenge met at an objectively complicated time”.

Started in 2022, the construction work on Milano 3.0 is continuing in line with the timetable and will be ready by the end of 2024. A limited number of units (starting at €3300 per m²) are still available. Sales of the eco-friendly dwellings have been strong, due mainly to the high demand for sustainable luxury homes in Milan and their relative scarcity. The main benefit that Milano 3.0 brings to its occupants is the chance to achieve a better work-life balance: the location, design and New York-inspired services enable the professionals who live there and their families to reduce the number of hours spent working in the city and increase periods of quality time spent devoted to leisure and cultural pursuits in the beautiful parkland and surrounding countryside.

Info Point Milano 3.0
Piazza Marco Polo 2, Milano 3 (MI)
Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 7pm
Tel. +39 02 67.36.31
info@milano3puntozero.it
www.milano3puntozero.it

Article by Amie Louie for Easy Milano