Following the Bosco verticale, the complex conceived by architect Stefano Boeri that has received numerous accolades, the Nido verticale — the tower set to become the Milan headquarters of insurance group UnipolSai — is also on track to earn recognition for both sustainability and beauty. The contract for this magnificent project was awarded to the firm Mario Cucinella Architects.

Milan's skyline takes shape

The UniCredit tower, the tallest glass-clad skyscraper in Milan at 231 metres, represents the beating architectural heart of Milan's Porta Nuova district and introduced to the city the concept of a tower as a corporate headquarters. UnipolSai has now decided to follow suit, embarking on the construction of a sustainable and striking skyscraper of its own.

The features of the Nido verticale

According to the design, the skyscraper reaches a height of 125 metres and covers an area of 3,300 square metres. The materials used are wood, metal and glass. The curvilinear columns are to be made of wood and, as the design envisages, meet at a certain point to form a vertical nest with a rhomboidal structure on the walls — which gives the entire complex its name.

The building's entrance faces onto the pedestrian square, and the atrium sits beneath a striking glass-clad sail structure. The interior features elliptical terraces of varying sizes overlooking one side of the skyscraper. These will house offices, as well as communal areas and small winter gardens. From below, the effect will be of gazing up at a white forest, thanks to the curvilinear wooden columns encircling the structure. Beyond the entrance, visitors can access an auditorium and a bar. From the first floor upwards, the offices are designed to accommodate around two thousand people, along with meeting rooms available to Italy's insurance industry leadership.

High sustainability standards

The Nido verticale is a sustainable and innovative building in terms of energy efficiency. UnipolSai required high sustainability standards for the project, reflecting its sensitivity to environmental issues. The building's skeleton is formed by a double layer with a cavity between the two skins that insulates against winter cold and prevents excessive heat in summer. Thanks to solar panels installed at strategic points and rainwater harvesting systems integrated into striking design elements (such as the mirrored sail above the entrance), the building's consumption of resources is kept to a minimum.

Who is architect Mario Cucinella

Architect Mario Cucinella is renowned in the field of sustainable buildings and has founded the non-profit organisation Building Green Futures. "Energy is an extraordinary creative tool for imagining a new generation of buildings," he has said.

The crowning glory is a panoramic terrace where exhibitions and events will be held — the green, beating heart of the building. In addition to the terraces housing the winter gardens, at the very top of this remarkable skyscraper, within a diagonal section, there will be another winter garden to regulate the building's internal temperature without artificial ventilation systems. Like a true green, natural lung.

The project is said to have cost around 100 million euros, though industry experts suggest the value could rise given the location and its architectural features. According to estimates, Cucinella's work will be ready by 2018.

Photos via Mario Cucinella Architects

Translated by Francesca Clemente