Brera Academy to Transform Milan's Farini Rail Yard into Arts Campus

Milan's Brera Academy of Fine Arts will expand into the disused Farini rail yard, creating a new arts campus as part of the city's urban regeneration plan. A letter of intent signed by Mayor Giuseppe Sala, FS Sistemi Urbani President Carlo De Vito, and Brera Academy President Livia Pomodoro outlines the project. Starting next academic year, some Academy activities will move into a building in the Farini yard, gradually consolidating all external functions there. The 25,000-square-meter space, formerly used as warehouses and by the Italian Post, will host workshops and labs, easily reachable by public transit and close to the historic Palazzo Brera. The initiative addresses the Academy's need for expansion due to growing international student numbers and aims to quickly reclaim parts of the disused yard for public cultural use. De Vito called it an opportunity to integrate the area with the city and enhance Milan's cultural offerings. Pomodoro said the new campus will become a reference point for Italian art and culture. The project falls under the broader Program Agreement for the redevelopment of Milan's rail yards, promoting public-interest activities. Concurrently, a masterplan for the entire Farini yard will be developed, with FS launching a competition in spring and selecting a project by September, potentially allocating more space to the Academy for further expansion.