Daniel Libeskind takes us on a tour of his newly completed residential complex in Milan’s CityLife development
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

A new neighbourhood coming up in the northwest of Milan is unlike anything the Italian metropolis has seen before. Based on a master plan by Studio Daniel Libeskind, Zaha Hadid Architects and Arata Isozaki & Associates, CityLife, as the scheme is called, is set on the 25-hectare walled-off piece of city that used to house Milan’s former trade fair (since relocated to the Fuksas-designed extravaganza to the west of the city).
Set along 10 hectares of green parkland and water features designed by landscape architecture practice Gustafson Porter, the site will eventually include three tall glass office towers designed by Libeskind, Isozaki and Hadid, a shopping district, a lower residential tower by Libeskind, and two relatively low-rise residential complexes by Libeskind and Hadid in the southern part of the district.
I am here to see the just completed first phase of the Libeskind Residences, a residential complex of five buildings measuring between seven and 14 storeys high and containing 308 housing units, including 22 double-height penthouses or ‘villas’. ’We wanted the lower buildings to be placed closer to the historic fabric of the city,’ explains Daniel Libeskind as we stand in the CityLife showroom located at the edge of the busy construction site.
The buildings that make up the housing cluster – or ‘archipelago’ as Libeskind likes to say - were oriented to maximise daylight and the connection to the surrounding streets and to give views from existing perspectives. They were also arranged so as to create an internal car-free ‘social space’ that, he says, was inspired by the context. ’There is an analogy here to the classic Italian courtyard,’ says the architect, referring to the interior courtyards that were so prevalent in Milanese housing until WWII, adding, ’Parents can watch their kids playing in the piazza, like in old times.’ Importantly, all owners will have access to the private underground parking structure.
The residential complex’s greatest strength is the buildings’ façades, which are ‘clad’ in a textured and marbled tile developed by innovative Italian ceramics company Casalgrande Padana. It looks like travertine but is, in fact, reinforced porcelain and designed to be self-cleaning. ’All buildings look good when they are first built,’ smiles Libeskind.
The asymmetrical and faceted glass-and-tile balconies wrap around the buildings creating an expressiveness that is further enhanced by undulating sun-shading louvres made of a bamboo polymer composite, also designed for greater durability and sustainability than a conventional wood such as teak. ’The exteriors are as articulated as possible so that each apartment is unique both in footprint and façade,’ points out Libeskind.
The master plan for the larger site involved keeping and comprehensively refurbishing a few of the historic structures that belonged to the trade fair, including an early-1920s stadium, a 1930s velodrome and two Art Nouveau gate buildings. ’Opening the site up and connecting it to the urban fabric was the main concept,’ explains Libeskind. ’At the centre you have the hub of office buildings, the high-density working area.’ Several underground car parks and a new metro stop in the site’s centre will ensure that this is a pedestrian- and bicycle-only space. ’The idea is that you can live and work in one place.’
Whether the Milanese take to this 21st century vertical way of living and working remains to be seen. What is certain is that in a city with plenty of hardscaping, CityLife will provide a welcome moment of green respite and the possibility of calling a major new city park, home.
The buildings that make up the housing cluster were oriented to maximise daylight and the connection to the surrounding streets and to give views from existing perspectives.
They were also arranged so as to create an internal car-free ‘social space’. 'There is an analogy here to the classic Italian courtyard,' explains Libeskind.
The apartments are all unique in terms of size, exposure and layout, with a choice between two-room or larger family apartments, and penthouses with terraces.
The master plan for the larger site involved keeping and comprehensively refurbishing a few historic structures to transform them into modern apartments.
The asymmetrical and faceted glass-and-tile balconies wrap around the buildings creating an expressiveness that is further enhanced by undulating sun-shading louvres made of a bamboo polymer composite.
The residential complex’s greatest strength is the buildings’ façades, which are ‘clad’ in a textured and marbled tile developed by innovative Italian ceramics company Casalgrande Padana.
It looks like travertine but is in fact reinforced porcelain and designed to be self-cleaning.
ADDRESS
CityLife (opens in new tab)
Viale Duilio, 5
(Largo Domodossola) Milan
Italy
-
The best art gifts for the creative in your life
With Valentine's Day 2023 on the horizon, get inspired with our ongoing guide to the best art gifts
By Harriet Lloyd-Smith • Published
-
Artist Mickalene Thomas creates the set for Dior’s Josephine Baker-inspired couture show
American artist Mickalene Thomas collaborated with Maria Grazia Chiuri on the scenography for the designer’s latest Dior haute couture show in a celebration of pioneering Black women
By Jack Moss • Published
-
2023 USA Fellows revealed, including these inspiring designers and architects
United States Artists announces its 2023 USA Fellows, including these designers and architects making a difference
By Martha Elliott • Published
-
The Fendi factory in Tuscany disappears into the landscape
The new Fendi Factory in Italy, set in the rolling hills of Tuscany, is the brainchild of Milan architecture studio Piuarch and the luxury brand
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Step inside the dramatic Cava Arcari by David Chipperfield
Cava Arcari by David Chipperfield reimagines a series of caves outside Vicenza as a multifunctional event space
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Rinascente is reborn in Rome’s Piazza Fiume courtesy of design studio 2050+
Rinascente in Piazza Fiume, Rome gets a makeover by Milan-based interdisciplinary design agency 2050+
By David Plaisant • Published
-
This Sicilian villa brings contemporary architecture to the foot of Mount Etna
L House is a modern Sicilian villa in perfect sync with its surroundings, designed by London-based architecture practice Transit Studio
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Take the ultimate Carlo Scarpa tour of Venice
A Carlo Scarpa tour to end all tours; join our survey of modernist buildings by the Italian midcentury master in and around Venice
By Natasha Levy • Last updated
-
Etruscan Galleries at Fondazione Luigi Rovati by Mario Cucinella just flow
In Milan, the Etruscan Galleries at the Fondazione Luigi Rovati, designed by architect Mario Cucinella, open to the public
By Ellie Stathaki • Last updated
-
This historical Florentine villa is given a contemporary rethink
Danish design brand Frama and filmmaker Albert Moya have worked together to update the Villa Medicea di Marignolle in Italy
By Hannah Silver • Last updated
-
Minimalism and transparency rule at Luxottica’s Digital Factory in Milan
Luxottica's Digital Factory by Milan-based architects Park Associati is the latest addition to the city's via Tortona neighbourhood
By Ellie Stathaki • Last updated