S-Tiles - Tecnocity, Milano

	[Tecnocity]
	Name: Tecnocity - Bicocca		Design: Gregotti Associati International, Milano
	Destination of use: building for residence and university studies		Manufacturer: Arkim - Coop. Ceramica c'Imola
	City: Milano		Ceramic Materials: elements in terracotta with design, superficial refinishing Litos
	Country: Italia
	Type of intervention: ventilated wall
	Costumers: Pirelli & C. Real Estate
	Year of completion: 1999-2004
	The Project
	The Bicocca project appeared in 1985 with the aim to restructure the areas that at one time were occupied by Pirelli factories. It is the biggest urban intervention in Europe after the one in Berlin (750,000 m² of which 65% is for public use and 250,000 for greenery). The project arose from the slogan “a historical centre for suburbia”. The basic idea was to use as a fundamental principle the public use of spaces (even the internal spaces of large blocks), designed according to simplicity, order and organic principles. The building intended for university facilities, which closes at the north side the commercial area, is allocated on the central development axis of the Bicocca area. It is 52 metres tall and its height along with its visual positioning elicits the vanishing point with a vast square opening measuring 15 metres in length on top of the fourth floor. The building develops over 3 underground floors and 14 above ground storeys: on the first four storeys above ground, which are higher than the rest, gathers together the university facilities (administration offices, auditorium, canteen, media library); the 9 student residence floors develop to the side and over the opening and, finally, on the 14th floor there are the installations (electricity, etc.). As for the covering, a modular ventilated facade with visible attachments, produced with slabs of vitrified stoneware (in the format 81x79 cm) totally envelops the building.