Fresh off the firm’s debut public housing effort in Beijing, MAD Architects has unveiled project renders for a commercial complex at the edge of Milan’s Innovation District called MoLo (short for Mobility and Logistics Hub). According to the firm, the new hub will serve as a “monumental gateway” to the city’s burgeoning high-tech economic zone.

The design for MoLo includes a five-story car park, said to be the hub's "centerpiece." Amplifying their focus and commitment to sustainability, the complex will house 8,000 square meters (or 86,111 square feet) of photovoltaic panels atop a two-story commercial center. The team from MAD shares, "The MoLo was designed to perform as a welcoming entrance and education space for issues related to mobility in which visitors can drop off their cars to explore the district on foot and see innovative transportation technology in person."

Continuing with their focus on nature-centered designs, as seen in the studio’s Gardenhouse and One River North projects, MAD has beset the 68,700-square-meter (739,480-square-foot) building’s facade with a selection of biophilic elements, arranged as vertical gardens, that serve as a visual connection to its surroundings while aiding in the important task of carbon offsetting for the entire city. 

Its interior ground level will be defined by a diagonal central gallery corridor linking the structure to Rho-Arese park underneath a cloud-like, undulating ceiling. Per the firm, “Because the MoLo is situated on the border between two municipalities, the complex design aims to dissolve that separation through a public interchange tunnel crowned by a sculptural set of polished metal staircases.”

Its construction will evoke the spirit of the district by incorporating a prefabricated concrete frame, produced using the Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) method with the help of Progeca S.r.l, Open Project, and Architetto Andrea Nonni. MAD also said they are pursuing a LEED certification for the development, which is set to begin construction next month.