Campo Selvatico: Milano's Suspended Forest Over Train Tracks Wins Porta Romana Competition

A consortium led by Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Stefano Boeri Architetti has won the international competition to regenerate Milan's Scalo di Porta Romana, a former railway yard. Their masterplan, Campo Selvatico, proposes a suspended forest above the tracks as part of a 100,000-square-meter park, the largest green space in the development. The project beat five other finalists, including teams led by SOM, BIG, and Cobe. The jury, chaired by Gregg Jones of Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, praised the plan for making green space the generative center of development and for its clear urban strategy. The site, covering about 190,000 square meters, will also include residences, offices, social housing, and student housing. The student housing will serve as the Olympic Village for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Games before being converted. The development is managed by COIMA SGR, Covivio, and Prada Holding S.p.A., who acquired the site in January 2020. A public consultation process begins immediately, with the final masterplan due by May.