Unicredit Pavilion, created by Italian architect Michele de Lucchi, is a modular structure which aims to promote social functions and experimental activities, hosting cultural events, conferences, exhibitions and concerts. The structure, which can accommodate up to 700 people, is build adjacent to the Uni Credit’s headquarters in the Porta Nouva district in Milan.
Courtesy of Unicredit Pavilion
UniCredit CEO Federico Ghizzoni stated that they wanted a building to reflect the European identity of the brand, but still be representative for Italian architecture. “This facility meets our commitment to build deeper relationships with the communities where we operate and contribute to their economic development in a sustainable manner. It also represents an excellent opportunity to create value.
Courtesy of Unicredit Pavilion
” The space is smartly placed near the Porta Nuova gardens, which creates additional opportunities for it to be open and easy to access for public users. The winning proposal of the UniCredit architectural competition is highly focused on environmental issues, and combines natural resources with modern construction techniques, resulting in a seed shaped building.
Courtesy of Unicredit Pavilion
“Seeds fall to the ground, and their roots take hold, anchoring themselves, sprouting up as they grow – and they have an outer casing that covers them and protects their fertile, living hearts. Inside one finds the essence of life and the magic of materials that transform themselves and then regenerate the things that created them,” the architect stated. The design is also inclined towards smart use function use – all the spaces are capable of different configurations and create flexible spaces, in order to accommodate different types of activities.
Courtesy of Unicredit Pavilion
Additionally, it speaks to all categories of users, since it hosts also a nursery for up to 50 children. The building will blend into the urban surroundings through the elevated ground floor, lifted more than one meter above ground, and designed with laminated timber and a glass-ribbed structure, but also with the overall organic shape and transparent surfaces. Two 12 meter long panels, designed as wings, can be opened or closed, displaying two huge screens towards the park and Piazza Gae Aulenti. The structure, which aims to bring the increasing popular neighborhood to a new level, will also benefit from a series of non-conventional events at its opening in March 2015.
Lidia Ratoi is a Romanian architect, educator, and researcher, currently serving as Assistant Professor at the University of Hong Kong’s Department of Architecture. With a background in both architectural design and theory, her work explores the intersections of technology, media, and politics in the built environment. Ratoi’s research focuses on the aesthetics of power, surveillance, and virtuality, with a strong interest in critical and speculative design. She has practiced internationally and exhibited in venues across Europe and Asia. Passionate about challenging conventional narratives, Ratoi integrates digital tools with philosophical inquiry, encouraging experimental approaches to architecture. Her contributions continue to shape emerging discourses in design and architectural pedagogy.