CITYWAVE’S 140 M SOLAR CANOPY TOPS OUT IN MILAN

Designed by BIG in collaboration with Atelier Verticale, CityWave Milan’s 140-m-long canopy has topped out, marked by a ceremony held during Salone del Mobile Milano. The sweeping roof structure, clad entirely in photovoltaic panels, forms a shaded pedestrian plaza for the city of Milan that unifies CityWave’s two courtyard buildings – a modern homage to the traditional porticos found throughout Italy. The canopy will become one of the largest urban rooftop solar installations in the world, with completion slated for 2026.  “This topping out is a major milestone for what has become a long-standing engagement with the urban development of Milano and the architectural culture of Italy. Through my guest editorship of DOMUS, I feel as if fully immersed in the deep heritage of Italian design. What we have attempted here is to resist the temptation to add yet another tower to the already majestic urban ensemble of CityLife, and rather create a truly inviting urban space as a gateway to this new neighbourhood. The solar roof of the timber canopy uniting the two buildings provides shade and shelter for the life of the city, and serves as an urban gesture of environmental and social performance. Like a 21st century interpretation of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, CityWave is a direct continuation of the pursuit of providing new forms of public space for the city.” – Bjarke Ingels, Founder & Creative Director, BIG