Milan's 2026 Olympic Village under fire for aesthetics, defended by architects

The Milan 2026 Olympic Village, designed by SOM, has faced widespread criticism on social media for its gray, prison-like appearance. Critics include influencer Selvaggia Lucarelli, who called the architect a 'misanthrope.' However, the project is defended by its architects and commentators. The village, built with wood and aiming for zero emissions, features diagonal sawtooth roofs that reference local industrial architecture. The green spaces are designed by renowned landscape architect Michel Desvigne, with vertical gardens and climbing plants to improve aesthetics and air quality. The village will be converted into Italy's largest student housing complex by September 2026, with 1,700 beds, including 450 at subsidized rates. The project has faced cost overruns post-COVID and material changes, but construction has remained ahead of schedule. Critics are accused of superficiality, ignoring the unfinished state and the broader context of Olympic villages being spartan by necessity.