At MIND, Milan Innovation District, the future is young: more than 50% of the district's visitors will be under 30, and it will be a hub for higher education and international scientific research.
Developments for young people and MIND's role in the future of research and innovation were the focus of the meeting "Campus Mind: the first step for students,"promoted by Lendlease, the University of Milan, and REAM SGR on the occasion of the laying of the foundation stone for the first student residence at MIND.
In the presence of Attilio Fontana, President of the Lombardy Region, Giuseppe Sala, Mayor of Milan, Andrea Orlandi, Mayor of Rho, and Marina Brambilla, Rector of the University of Milan, the meeting took place with the presentationof the housing offer for students at MIND andan update on the construction of the La Statale science facultycampus and the development of the eastern area of the large district. It was an opportunity to reflect on the crucial role of public-private collaboration in creating infrastructure for education, research, and young people.
Fabrizio Zichichi, Executive Project Director at Lendlease, responsible for the private development of the MIND Innovation District, welcomed the audience and introduced the other speakers: Francesco Mandruzzato, CEO of Academo and Commercial Director of Lendlease; Tiziana Corsini, Senior Investment Manager at Equiter; Oronzo Perrini, General Manager of REAM SGR, which manages the Cervino Comparto B Fund; and Igor De Biasio, CEO of Arexpo.
"Today marks an important evolution for MIND and the University of Milan, an institution that has contributed to the development of the city and Lombardy for centuries, with a modern scientific and university campus capable of attracting more and more talent. MIND was created as a virtuous model of public-private collaboration and continues to pursue this path with extraordinary effectiveness, responding to new urban and social needs. Investing in young students and the scientific community of the University of Milan, as well as in the companies and institutions present at MIND, means betting on the future of technology, science, and innovation,"commented Attilio Fontana, president of the Lombardy Region.
The appeal of the State University's Science Campus will be enhanced by the presence of these student residences, which will become a meeting place for discussion and socializing for the new academic community that will grow within the Campus itself and MIND. The more than 1,000 beds planned for the two residences not only meet the need for affordable housing solutions for university students, but also complement the range of facilities and services within an innovative, lively neighborhood inhabited by students and researchers who will come here from different regions of Italy and around the world to continue and shape their studies and training."
Today, the start of work on MIND's first student residence takes us to the heart of the project and its significance: a student-friendly university campus, a stimulating place where students can enjoy a truly rewarding educational and social experience, because the very concept of the right to education must also extend to the quality of our students' university experience. In recent years, as a university, we have multiplied our commitment to residential facilities, because housing is a social issue that impacts the right of access to higher education, but which also has implications for Milan's ability to continue to guarantee its great and well-deserved attractiveness as a metropolis open to the world," said Marina Brambilla, rector of the University of Milan, in her opening remarks.
Student accommodation and special offers
The real estate operation of the Cervino Fund – Comparto B, managed by REAM SGR, provides the first response to the housing needs of future students at MIND through the construction of two new buildings in the area.The first university residence will be built on an area of approximately 6,000 square meters in the eastern part of MIND, near the large scientific campus of the State University, opposite the Tree of Life, symbol of Expo 2015, and will provide 646 beds.
A second student residence with 506 beds will be built in the western area of MIND, opposite the Galeazzi hospital. Together, the two new facilities will provide a total of 1,152 beds at rates agreed with the Municipality of Milan, 400 of which will be reserved for DSU (Right to Education) students at the University of Milan, 652 for university students, teachers, researchers, interns, and scholarship holders, and finally 100 beds for short stays for all those who gravitate within the MIND ecosystem and beyond.
The buildings will be constructed to the highest standards of environmental sustainability and will be LEED Gold certified. Specifically, the first student residence, located near the campus, will consist of eight floors above ground and one basement level, with rooms of various sizes and types to meet different housing needs. The different solutions will be offered on the market for rent at different rates depending on the type of room, as established by the agreement signed with the Municipality of Milan. As for the places reserved for DSU students of the University (200 places for each of the two student residences), they will be made available at the rates guaranteed by the University for this type of accommodation. As for the other types of rooms, rates will vary depending on the different solutions, from double rooms to larger studios. The price includes a range of services, including 24-hour management and reception, access to and use of the gym and communal kitchen, WiFi and TV license, luggage storage and safekeeping, cleaning of communal areas and rooms, etc. In addition, this building will have a restaurant of approximately 600 square meters open to the public and offering special rates for university staff and students.
The student residence is an entirely private initiative that REAM SGR manages through one of the real estate funds under its management, financed by Italian banking foundations and pension funds, such as ENPAM (Ente Nazionale di Previdenza ed Assistenza dei Medici e degli Odontoiatri - National Welfare and Assistance Fund for Doctors and Dentists). The development of REAM SGR represents a sustainable response to the growing need for housing solutions for students and researchers in Milan and a model of virtuous collaboration between the public and private sectors for a quality solution that promotes access to education for young people.
The Campus and the work in progress
Inaugurated in 2023, the construction site for the University of Milan Campus is proceeding according to schedule . To date , the first floors of Building B , intended for teaching, are already visible, and the foundations for the other buildings are currently being laid. A total of approximately 150 classrooms of various sizes are planned, covering a total area of 18,000 square meters. The 12-meter pillars that will support the building's six above-ground floors have already been erected, and the first prefabricated elements are being installed, with the beams and floors ready for installation.
Adjacent to the Tree of Life, at the intersection of the Cardo and Decumanus, the future campus will have a total gross area of 210,000 square meters spread over five main buildings and will accommodate 23,000 students, teachers, and researchers. This ambitious project will transform a vast area of 65,000 square meters into the beating heart of scientific research and innovation. The construction site is currently in full swing, with 12 cranes already in place and around 220 workers on site every day. The project includes 18,300 square meters of classrooms, almost 50,000 square meters of teaching and departmental laboratories, over 8,000 square meters of library space, 5,500 square meters of green space to be used as a botanical garden, and over 5,000 square meters of common areas for students.
MIND'sEast Gate takes shape: a new living space for students and citizens
The development of the Campus and the construction of the first student residence represent the first concrete steps in the transformation of the eastern area of MIND,the East Gate, which is set to become one of the most dynamic hubs in the district. In the coming years, this area will be enriched with services and infrastructure designed to improve the quality of life for students, researchers, and citizens. A key element will be the new MIND-Merlata railway stop, which will provide fast and direct connections to the center of Milan and the entire metropolitan area. In addition, an entertainment area will be built, covering approximately 15,000 square meters, with spaces for events and shows, 80% of which will be operational by summer 2025. This will help make the East Gate not only a place of study and research, but also a real meeting and socializing space for the city of Milan.
