CityLife

CityLife is Milan's most ambitious new district, built on the site of the old trade fair grounds northwest of the centre. Three skyscrapers designed by three of the world's best-known architects rise above a large public park, surrounded by residential buildings and a shopping centre. The project took shape over the 2010s, and today the three towers, nicknamed by the Milanese according to their shapes, have become symbols of the modern city alongside the cathedral spires.

The three towers

The tallest is the Allianz Tower, designed by Arata Isozaki and Andrea Maffei and completed in 2015. The Milanese call it Il Dritto, the straight one, for its clean vertical lines, and it is held in place by golden buttresses at its base. The Generali Tower, by Zaha Hadid Architects, finished in 2017, twists as it rises and is known as Lo Storto, the twisted one. The PwC Tower by Daniel Libeskind, completed in 2020, has a curved crown that seems to bend towards the others, and is called Il Curvo, the curved one. Together they form a striking group, especially at dusk.

Piazza Tre Torri

At the foot of the towers, Piazza Tre Torri is a lively square with fountains, benches and the entrance to the CityLife Shopping District, one of the largest urban shopping centres in Italy. Metro M5 stops at Tre Torri station, directly beneath the square. From here, the scale of the towers is impressive, and we like to look up at each in turn and compare their very different designs.

The residences

Around the edges of the district, Zaha Hadid and Daniel Libeskind also designed residential complexes. The Hadid residences have flowing, curved white balconies, while Libeskind's buildings use angular, cut shapes. Walking between them gives a clear sense of each architect's style, and they are among the most photographed apartment buildings in Milan.

The park

CityLife's park is one of the largest in the city, with lawns, tree-lined paths, play areas and cycling routes connecting the towers and residences. It is car free, and families from the surrounding neighbourhoods use it daily. The park also has public art, including sculptures by contemporary artists. Our parks and gardens guide compares it with Parco Sempione and the Biblioteca degli Alberi.

The old fair and nearby

The trade fair moved to a new site at Rho in 2005, and the historic Palazzo delle Scintille, a domed pavilion from the 1920s, was restored within CityLife. Nearby, the residential area around Piazza Giulio Cesare and Via Monte Rosa has broad streets and Liberty buildings, while the MiCo congress centre stands to the north. The San Siro stadium is a few stops further on the same metro line.

Getting the views

The towers are offices, so the upper floors are not usually open to the public, but the best views of the group come from a little distance. The park's raised lawns give a classic angle, and the walk along Viale Scarampo shows them rising above the residences. From the centre, the towers appear on the skyline from the Duomo roof terraces, which helps explain how the new Milan relates to the old.

Our view

We combine CityLife with a visit to the stadium or with Isola and Porta Nuova for a full day of contemporary architecture. The towers look their most dramatic in late afternoon, when the glass reflects the sky and the lights begin to come on. Allow a slow walk through the park and around the residences, rather than only the square. For the historic contrast, our central walking route covers the Duomo and the old city, and our Isola and Porta Nuova guide covers the city's other cluster of new towers.