Park Associati: Hard Retrofitting and Studio Expansion in Milan

Milan-based architecture firm Park Associati, founded by Filippo Pagliani and Michele Rossi, specializes in building recovery and hard retrofitting. Notable projects include the Serenissima building restoration, Engie headquarters at Bicocca (nominated for the 2019 European Union Mies van der Rohe Award), Nestlé headquarters in Assago, and ongoing work on Luxottica's new headquarters, a philological recovery in Piazza Cordusio (housing Italy's first Uniqlo store), an intervention on a Piero Portaluppi building, and the Pharo Business Center near CityLife. The studio recently expanded from one floor to two in Via Garofalo 31, adding a multifunctional ground-floor space for events. For the 2019 Milan Design Week, they launched a call for designers under 30 to exhibit in this space, following a show by FromOuterSpace. The firm now employs 45 people and emphasizes quality over growth. Pagliani and Rossi view Milan positively, noting increased tourism and global interest, though they see it as the only Italian city with true contemporary energy.