Porto Romana

A former railway corridor turns into a green connective tissue

GROSS.MAX. participated in the winning international competition, led by OUTCOMIST, for the regeneration of the Porta Romana railway yard in Milan. Turning traditional urban paradigms on their head, the project makes a large green space (Campo Selvatico / Wild field) as the generative force of the entire development. Reconnecting the city to the north and south of the site, the project envisages an urban development that’s very clear in terms of its strategy, form, and function, while hypothesizing the reuse of certain buildings – memories of the industrial history of the location. The proposal is based upon a restorative design strategy to transform the site into a living system which include water management and treatment, habitat creation and food production. An elevated walkway provides a ‘close-up’ experience of nature and a varied experience of strolling through a canopy of trees. A central wild flower meadow creates a vibrant and dynamic seasonal landscape of ‘calculated casualness’ ensuring a feeling of light, air and space. The project transforms the railway corridor into a immersive biodiversity rich landscape setting for contemporary urban living.