SOM to Design Milan 2026 Olympic Village in Porta Romana

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has been selected to design the Olympic Village for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, located in the Scalo di Porta Romana area. The village will be built by COIMA SGR, Covivio, and Prada Holding. The project is part of a larger masterplan by Outcomist, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, PLP Architecture, Carlo Ratti Associati, and Arup, which includes Parco Romana with an eco-zone and a suspended forest over the tracks. The village, covering about 60,000 square meters, will house athletes during the Games and be converted into student housing with 1,000 beds within four months after the Olympics. The Olympic Village Plaza will become a public square with shops and markets. The design features low-rise buildings with shared terraces reminiscent of traditional Milanese ringhiera houses, and will incorporate the restoration of historic industrial spaces photographed by Gabriele Basilico. The project aims for sustainability under Italy's Pnrr ecological transition plan and is conceived as an outcome investment for positive social impact.