"Construction sites are magic, they are always an extraordinary gesture for the future. The construction sites bring together the pride of doing something for society. Every construction site is an opportunity for hope," said Piano.
On the first of March, Senator Renzo Piano visited the construction site of the project that bears his name that will give our university new and innovative spaces within (relatively) a few months. The Senator then held a press conference together with the Rector Ferruccio Resta, the vice president of the Lombardy Region Fabrizio Sala, the municipal councilor Pierfrancesco Maran and other technicians involved in the project.
Renzo Piano, an overview of the Project
In his speech, the archistar said that in this project there is a strong focus on the quality of the works and on the construction times, an element often rare in public projects.
What is being built at the Polytechnic is the intention to put order, to free up the spaces and to give them back to those who live them. We want to build a livable campus for the classical actors of the university, but also for the citizenry. The university must live in synergy with the city, with the neighborhood and with the residents. It has even been declared the dream (but we are working seriously) to pedestrianize Via Bonardi, thus stitching the two parts of the campus, making it a space on a human scale,free from cars, green and quiet. That would be great, really.
This livable campus policy wants to make the individual an integral part of the place he lives, making him feel at home through a strong and lasting sense of belonging and community. Today Renzo Piano also transmitted it through a small anecdote that happened a few minutes before the press conference: he arrived late because he wanted to go and see an old classroom, where he was in his twenties occupied the university in the 60s. The university experience does not pass only from the lessons. Svoltastudenti has always affirmed this and we are very happy that in the Policies of the University we have also begun to talk about these issues.
The Clover can become one of the most beautiful buildings in Milan and the main hall it will host will be fantastic.
Some details of the project
5000 square meters of buildings plus 800 study places for students, 6 classrooms with 120 modern and flexible seats. Plus the laboratory models, both traditional made of wood and metal, and digital with space for 3D printers and mock-ups. The model lab at the center of the campus communicates the idea of training the future architect in the culture of doing, where alongside theory there is practice.
There will be 100 new trees on 7000 square meters of parterre. It will connect the new buildings and be a place to find and study, with wired and electrified benches.
The construction site has already started and is proceeding at a good pace. It is expected that by the spring of next year the first lessons will start.
The project provides a unique construction system for all buildings, with concrete foundations, steel beams and pillars and glulam floors. All elements will be prefabricated and assembled on site. This, plus having the same construction technique for all new buildings, will ensure that construction times will be relatively short.
The urban ambition of the project is to mend it, to "urban mending",quoting Senator Renzo Piano, of the entire neighborhood, reuniting pieces of greenery: the Roman swimming pool and Piazza Leonardo Da Vinci, also creating a green path more than 1km long.
Intervention of the Rector
Prof. Ferruccio Resta wanted to remember that the Polytechnic is designing what it wants to be tomorrow, and that international competition with other universities is stimulating us a lot. One of the most effective policies has been to reduce operating costs, turning them into investments.
The intervention continued by launching a great foundraising campaign, to involve those who are next to us. Alumni and companies, people proud to belong to the Politenico of Milan, which wants to be a place for everyone, an element of citizenship. PoliMiRun already participates in this line. But we need robust institutions.
The comment of Councillor Maran
The councillor said that the relationship between university and city must be reviewed in city policies and that this is a great example of how an intelligent project manages to remove the boundaries between the residential part and the university. The university must enter the daily life of the city of Milan.
He also hopes that this will be a sign for the city: the green we plant must be an important signal of action towards environmentally healthy cities.
Lombardy Region
Vice President Fabrizio Sala appeared very enthusiastic about today's Polytechnic, stating that the climate is that we are in a place of world excellence. ''We are proud of the Polytechnic. The works are realized only with a strong push. And we, as the Lombardy Region, want to continue with the trail of investments that we are putting in place for Lombard universities. In the Lombardy Region we look forward to accompanying foreign institutions here, to show them what we are capable of".
