Mind, the former Alfa in Arese and the rise of data centres. The Sempione-Laghi triangle is still awaiting a developer.

If one were to come up with a headline, one might say that western Milan is not just about the glittering Mind district. Centred on the former Expo site – which is still under construction – the development of this area is driven by other rapidly growing sectors, all characterised by a high level of technological advancement. The prospects are excellent, as Alberto Bortolotti, an urban planner at the Politecnico, explains to Il Foglio: “Historically, the east of Milan has been industrial in character, whilst the west has been middle-class. With the Berruto plan and the urban evolution of the 1980s and 1990s, the Sempione axis shifted to Rho with the new exhibition centre and then to Mind: there was a privatisation of the public sector, making the western area very interesting and certainly a hive of activity.” The Sempione axis refers to the link with Malpensa, northern Italy’s main commercial hub, and with the industrial estates stretching along the Autostrada dei Laghi, which are home to companies such as Leonardo and Megatronic, specialising in precision engineering and robotics.

The Milan metropolitan area, on the other hand, is now centred on data centres, research and the residential sector: “Cascina Merlata is an example of remarkable architectural quality,” explains Bortolotti. “There is a growth in data centres that is causing some problems, and then there is Mind, where the hotel sector and the university are still missing, with the project for two private halls of residence that will offer a total of 1,152 places, 400 of which are reserved for DSU students at the University of Milan. The Rho-Pero centre is worth 4.5 billion; Principia, which has replaced Arexpo, has invested 1.5 billion in infrastructure. At stake is an unprecedented plan of international scope that has the potential to bring about a quantum leap in quality for the whole of the north.”

There are essentially two constraints on this expansion. To the south of Mind, the presence of the Parco Agricolo Sud limits the scope for industrial and residential development, to the extent that it discourages such initiatives. One example is the extension of Metro Line 1 to Settimo Milanese, which was planned as far back as 2016 but subsequently shelved due to the priority given to the Monza–Milan line and the design difficulties arising from the Park’s regulations. Then there is the former Alfa site in Arese, a massive redevelopment covering 700,000 square metres (only Mind exceeds this at 1 million square metres) focused almost entirely on retail: “Asset classes favour this type of investment, but they are risky when there is a single dominant function,” comments the researcher from the Politecnico.

It is a widely held view that the redevelopment of the Arese site should have had a different outcome, one open to other activities. This is also the view of Francesco Vassallo, vice-president of the Metropolitan City, who also points the finger at private investors who failed to fully grasp the potential of that project: “There was a lack of interest from investors, so the areas were designated for commercial use: it is a place that provides jobs, albeit not permanent ones. However, Arese must not make us forget that there are more successful examples, such as the Città della Salute, which, despite some difficulties, is coming to fruition and offers an opportunity for the revitalisation of the Sesto and Cinisello area. More generally, in western Milan, a profound transformation of the economic and productive fabric is underway; the data centres that are spreading represent an opportunity: they must be approached with the understanding that they have their challenges, but that new technologies make them safer for the environment. Balanced development that brings resources and improves the environment is possible; let us not forget that site remediation takes place before operations begin.”

It’s not just about business and industrial estates. A less frequently considered but crucial aspect is the social impact that will be felt within a few years in the western district, where local authorities are currently feeling the pull of Milan, particularly amongst young people. The arrival of the State University in Mind means an influx of 20,000 students which, according to Vassallo, can revitalise the social fabric of an area with 150,000–160,000 inhabitants: “There is the opportunity to welcome young people from all over the world and to foster a social mix capable of breathing new life into our local areas.” Faced with this picture, which suggests optimism, the only question remaining is what role politics is playing, and how it is coordinating and steering this process that brings together research, medicine and new urban development. Vassallo’s response is not encouraging: “There is a legislative shortfall at national level regarding data centres; the Region has passed legislation but is currently reviewing the measure. The problem is more general in nature; there is a lack of a single coordinating body, which neither the Metropolitan City nor the Region currently possesses; there is no leadership to clarify who does what.” Perhaps it is this lack of leadership that requires urgent action: with data centres, MIND and the City of Health operating at full capacity, we will need to upgrade infrastructure and improve road networks. Individual local authorities cannot be left to manage the former industrial sites on their own; there are still many of them and they need to be redeveloped. We need political leadership – perhaps of the highest calibre.