MAD has unveiled the design for MoLo — the Mobility and logistics hub in Milan.

In early 2022, Milan announced its urban regeneration plan for the Milan Innovation District (MIND) a major redevelopment of the former 2015 World Expo site in northwest Milan, spanning one million square meters.

The district is envisioned as a large-scale science and technology campus, bringing together research hubs focused on life sciences and urban development, alongside a new university campus. The plan also includes residential areas, a hospital, commercial and retail spaces, hotels, and public infrastructure accommodating up to 60,000 people living and working within the district.

Located on the western edge of Milan’s MIND Innovation District, MoLo replaces a former Expo pavilion with a newly constructed gateway complex that integrates a research center, commercial space, and parking structure. Designed to be open, natural, and dynamic, the project welcomes visitors into the district and marks the starting point of their journey through the campus.

The building measures 170 meters in length, 50 meters in width, and 28.5 meters in height, comprising seven floors above ground and one below. As visitors enter from the west side of the MIND district, they are greeted by MoLo’s vibrant, green façade a striking first impression of the campus.

The parking facility spans five above-ground levels, with façades fully covered in vegetation. This extensive green envelope softens the building’s large volume through natural elements, enhancing its visual integration while fostering a sense of approachability and connection with the public.

Typically treated as a secondary and concealed interior function, the staircase takes center stage in MAD’s design. Crafted from polished metal, the zigzagging staircases have a sculptural presence, intersecting and extending upward to define the building’s dynamic character.

The ground floor of the building features 3,000 square meters of programmatic space, including an energy center, retail, and a supermarket. The top floor houses tech laboratories and office space.

A central atrium runs east to west through the ground level, conceived as a flexible urban public space capable of hosting small-scale public events such as outdoor exhibitions and talks. Above, the atrium is topped with a cloud-like sculptural roof—its undulating form blurs the boundary between the artificial and the natural.

Aligned with the MIND Innovation District’s emphasis on sustainability and technological innovation, MoLo adopts a Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) approach. The building is constructed using a prefabricated concrete frame system that allows for precise and efficient assembly, significantly reducing construction time and material waste.

The complex is also being built in strict accordance with LEED certification standards to meet its green building goals. Photovoltaic panels are installed across the upper roof surfaces, forming a solar array of over 5,000 square meters—providing substantial renewable energy to the surrounding area.

Construction of MoLo is expected to begin in September 2022. It will be MAD’s fourth-built project in Europe, following UNIC in Paris, the FENIX Museum of Migration in Rotterdam, and the Courtyard Villa in Rome.

MoLo – Mobility and Logistic Hub
Milan, Italy

Type: Mixed-use – Transit, Education, Office, Retail
Site Area: 9,700 m²
Total Floor Area: 68,788 m²
Building Height: 28.5 m

Architectural Design: MAD
Project Manager: Architetto Andrea Nonni
Local Architect, Engineering, Coordination, and LEED Design: Open Project Srl
Structural, MEP, Acoustic, and LEED Engineering: Progeca srl

Principal Partners: Ma Yansong, Dang Qun, Yosuke Hayano
Associate Partner: Andrea d’Antrassi

Design Team: Romina Carpentieri, Alessandro Fisalli, Paolo Pirri, Francesco Nardacci, Aldo Schirripa Spagnolo, Francesco Pasta, Anna Spaggiari, Elena Bellocchio