OPEN 336 I THE BUILDING AND THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

Speaker: History, community and sustainability. The inception of the building at Viale Sarca 336 was fuelled by those three words. We are in the Bicocca district of Milan, which, since the early twentieth century, has been the heart of Lombard industry — the so-called "engine of Italy" —, home to the factories of Pirelli, Ansaldo, Breda and others. In the 80s, after the big industrial factories were abandoned, an innovative new project began to take shape, thanks to the vision of the Gregotti architectural studio. Here to talk about it is architect Valeria Falcone, Head of Value Add Investing Europe at Barings.

VF: At Barings, we have believed strongly in the idea of investing in a property in this area. So, we couldn’t ignore such a characteristic urban fabric. Bicocca is one of the most successful examples of urban regeneration. A neighbourhood with a strong personality where one finds an absolutely unique mix of offices — mostly active in the technology sector — residential and green zones, areas for shopping and aggregation, as well as places of culture — like the Hangar Bicocca, the Arcimboldi Theatre and the university of Milan — all perfectly connected, thanks to the infrastructure, with the city centre and beyond.

Speaker: But in the urban composition of this neighbourhood, there was a wound — a parcel of vacant land that had not yet been assigned a purpose. And it was there that the Open 336 building was built, which continues and integrates Gregotti's larger project.

VF: That is true. We wanted the building to be in dialogue at all levels with the identity of the context, with the intention of it being a bridge between history and contemporaneity. We pushed hard for technology and innovation in the service of sustainability and usability.

Speaker: At the heart of the project is man, both as an individual and as a community. In addition to fostering the wellbeing of those working inside, the building is also concerned with the impact that the architectural project will have on the external environment.

VF: That's why the conception of the building started from a holistic approach to sustainability issues. The precondition was to compensate the community for the occupation of the land by erecting a building with the least possible impact, at all stages — from its construction to its future maintenance. And the implementation of innovative technology was a cornerstone in this respect. We also wanted the building to be one of the tools through which the companies that occupy it can pursue their "carbon zero" and "carbon neutrality" goals.

Speaker: All of this is synonymous with responsible investment. To experience the Open 336 spaces is to look at a much broader horizon that embraces history and innovation but also attention to the environment and to the community. It means working for a future that is already here.