by Andrea Gianni
MILAN
A “no man’s land” that has transformed into a “new centrality”. In place of the abandoned factories, the offices of The Sign business district are located which, at full capacity, will host over 2800 people, Iulm students mingle with employees and new residents. We meet the architect Massimo Roj, winner of the Compasso d’Oro Adi 2024, in the headquarters at number 6 of via Russoli of Gruppo Progetto CMR, a galaxy of companies specialized in integrated design, protagonist of the new life of the surrounding neighborhood. A redeveloped building where works of art, football memorabilia and references to the greats of music alternate, created by the architect Roj, who invented “Rocktecture”, a combination of rock and architecture.
Roj, what did this area look like in the past?
“I was born and raised in the Ticino area and we used to come here with our motorbikes to go off-road. There were industrial sites, debris, for us it was a no-man’s land. I also have a dramatic memory, linked to the massacre in Via Schievano (the murder of three policemen on 8 January 1980, claimed by the Red Brigades, ed.). Then I found myself, decades later, returning here working on the development of The Sign for Covivio. Exploring the area we also found this building and we decided to build the new headquarters of Progetto CMR here. We are helping to change the face of the neighborhood, we feel like we are participants in this process.”
What was the idea that inspired The Sign?
“I consider buildings as living organisms, and human beings are the vital fluid that flows in and out of spaces. When people leave, the building loses its vitality, the lights go out and it remains silent. This is why I considered it essential bring vitality to the facades. For the Garibaldi Towers, another of our projects, we thought of a precious stone capable of reflecting light. Here, considering that we are in a different place, we worked on two elements: the metallic material, because we are located on a former foundry, and the breakdown of the volumes to make the facade dynamic. Then the luminous “sign”, which starts from the station and crosses the buildings. I looked at the setting sun and, so, I chose the golden yellow color for the facade. A facade that changes depending on the solar incidence. This is the case for the first three buildings, while for the fourth, under construction, we have chosen to change”.
As?
“It seemed more correct to me not to self-quote what already exists but to create something different. We found another color that recalled the industrial origin: a gray metal that fades towards light blue and blue, with an iridescent façade” .
How have you addressed the increase in construction costs, which has affected numerous projects since the pandemic?
“The client intervened asking for the initial project to be revised to contain costs. To respect the budget we had to review some choices, it was a demanding challenge”.
What does this neighborhood represent now?
“It represents the polycentric city, the transformation of a peripheral area into a new centrality ultra well served by public transport and with cycle and pedestrian paths. More than 2800 people will come to work here, there are 10 thousand Iulm students, compared to when I was a kid it is a another city. We have reconquered an area that had been closed off and fenced off for twenty years, even with green spaces open to all. By the time the work on the fourth building, the D, is finished, we are working on a street art work to celebrate the completion of this journey: our idea is to place a work of art in the new squares as was done in the past, giving something beautiful back to the city”.
