Unicredit Tower

 Discovering the new Unicredit tower and seeing Milan from the heights on cold but sunny afternoon.

After almost one year since it's opening, we were able to visit the new Unicredit tower, located in the area called Porta Nuova, currently undergoing a development project among the world's biggest. 

The 32 stories tower, Italy's highest (if you count the 85 meters of the spire), is 231 meters high and it was built 6 meters over street level.

New constructions in Porta Nuova

Milan's Central Station and the Pirellone from the tower

The other tallest building of Milan, Palazzo Lombardia

The design is from Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects firm, famous for the designs of the Petronas towers in Kuala Lumpur, the new World Financial Center in New York and the Aria Resort in Las Vegas, among many other important projects.

The Unicredit complex consists of 3 buildings of different heights that host the headquarters of Unicredit bank, it is an eco-friendly construction (said to save 37% energy), also due to its strategic position right next to the Porta Garibaldi railways and metro station, it allows its workers and visitors to arrive without using the car. The complex was developed in an area of 6.370 square meters; it also hosts some shops (among which the cool Feltrinelli book shop), a supermarket, parking spaces, a fountain and it is connected to the new constructions in Porta Nuova, like the residential towers called Vertical Forest:

We visited the 25th floor, which is designed as an open space, with beautiful meeting spaces, kitchenette (with recicling bins) and cool views over the city.

The tower was voted among the Top 10 of the world’s most beautiful skyscrapers by the German company Emporis, which recognizes the tallest buildings in the world for excellent achievements in the functional and aesthetic design.

On the ground floor there's a square with a fountain, several shops and a couple of bars, and even foosball tables, in case you need a break:

On the way out, don't forget to shout something at the "Egg", by Alberto Garutti. It is a permanent art display consisting of 23 metal tubes developed vertically in 4 levels, from the parking underground up to the square, through each tube it's possible to hear noises, sounds, words coming from a completely different place in the building:

Unicredit Tower

Viale Luigi Sturzo

Milan

(Metro stop: Porta Garibaldi MM2)