CityLife is a large-scale redevelopment project in Milan, realised on the former Fairgrounds area and designed by an international team including Zaha Hadid Architects, Arata Isozaki & Associates, and Daniel Libeskind Studio. The development integrates office towers, retail spaces and public areas within a fully pedestrian district, defining one of the most recognisable contemporary skylines of the city.

The Business District is characterised by three landmark high-rise towers, each distinguished by a unique architectural and structural approach, while sharing common goals in terms of energy efficiency, façade performance and sustainability.

The Generali Tower, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, rises 170 meters high and is defined by its iconic twisted geometry. The progressive rotation of the floor plates generates a dynamic silhouette, while inclined perimeter columns and a central core ensure structural stability. The tower is enveloped by a high-performance double-skin façade with internal louvers, providing effective solar control and contributing to the building’s LEED Platinum certification.

The Allianz Tower, designed by Arata Isozaki and Andrea Maffei, is the tallest building in Italy, reaching 207 meters in height. Its slender vertical profile is composed of stacked modular units, emphasising the concept of an “endless tower”. The highly transparent triple-glazed curtain wall ensures excellent daylight penetration and thermal performance. Structural stability is enhanced through external steel buttresses, designed to withstand wind and seismic forces without compromising usable office space.

The PwC Tower, designed by Daniel Libeskind, reaches 175 meters and is characterised by a concave, inward-curving façade that culminates in a steel crown supporting photovoltaic panels. The building combines a reinforced concrete core with perimeter structural elements that change inclination along the height of the tower, ensuring flexibility of office layouts. The glazed façade reflects the surrounding public space while contributing to the tower’s LEED Gold certification.

At ground level, the CityLife Shopping District, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, provides a continuous commercial podium connecting the towers and linking directly to the M5 underground line. The district will be further completed by CityWave, designed by BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group, featuring office and retail buildings connected by a large photovoltaic canopy.

CityLife represents a benchmark for high-rise design, façade engineering and integrated sustainability strategies within a complex urban redevelopment, developed in compliance with the highest international environmental standards.