A2A Tower

Milan, Italy

Affirming comfort and safety for pedestrians and occupants alike at the first — and tallest — building in the redevelopment of Piazza Trento, which will include the 2026 Olympic village.

Slated for completion in 2023, the A2A Tower will reach a height of 144 metres and 28 storeys. Designed by a renowned architecture and interior design practice, the office building is the new Milan headquarters of A2A, one of the largest utilities providers in Italy. Along with a unique translucent facade, a tubular shape, and a 3-storey high sky garden open to the public, the building will feature innovative energy efficient and eco-sustainable systems.

Photos

A2A Tower 2
Photo courtesy of Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel (ACPV)
A2 A Tower
Model of A2A Tower. Copyright © 2023 RWDI.

Services provided

  • The Challenge

    With the rest of Milan’s skyscrapers residing in the north end of the city, the A2A, which lies to the south, will stand out significantly from its low-level surroundings, including the nearby Porta Romana old railway yard currently being redeveloped into parkland and the Olympic village for the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

    With the aim of reconnecting the urban tissue between city-centre and periphery along the north-south axis, it was important that the building be safe and comfortable for both occupants and other users enjoying the area.

  • Our Approach

    RWDI was retained early in the design process of this ambitious project due to our breadth of expertise. In order to help ensure the stunning design was achieved, we:

    • Assessed the wind environment around the development for pedestrian comfort and safety
    • Performed pedestrian level wind, structural wind load, and cladding wind load studies at our state-of-the-art wind tunnel facility, using a scale model of the building and existing surroundings, to assess tower performance, safety, and comfort

  • The Outcome

    The original double skin façade design was tested in our wind tunnel, and we followed the design process through its steps helping the design optimization. As the design progressed and switched to a single skin facade, we demonstrated further cladding wind loads reductions and in turn additional cost savings.

    Overall, our testing affirmed that the A2A Tower would perform very well in its context, ensuring a comfortable and safe experience for the users.