For years, Scalo Porta Romana has been an impassable barrier between south and east Milan. An area of about 190,000sqm that is disused and semi-empty, except for the freight trains that arrive here and deposit. But on 15 July 2021 a new project was presented, which will partly be the site of the Olympic Village and host the athletes of the Milan-Cortina 2026 winter Olympics. The masterplan, assigned to the consortium formed by the Coima, Covivio and Prada groups, will have a total budget of 180 million euros.
The result of a collaboration between 70 firms, led by US architects Skidmore Owings & Merrill, the village will occupy approximately 60,000sqm of residential buildings, offices, social and student housing spaces. The railway line that is still active within the area will be partially buried and covered by a park that will host facilities such as children's playgrounds, sport areas and urban gardens.
“Taking the Olympics as an opportunity, there will be a large real estate development concentrated in this area of Milan,” Mayor Beppe Sala commented at the press conference. “Because this area is the most in need of urban regeneration, as it is our ‘gateway’ access to the parks in the southern area of the city.”
The project is scheduled to be delivered in July 2025 and after the Games, the Olympic Village will be transformed into a student housing complex.