BIG’s CityWave’s 140 m Solar Canopy Tops Out in Milan

Credit: Alberto Fanelli

CityWave’s two office buildings designed by BIG | Bjarke Ingels Group are connected by a new public park and a sweeping 140-m-long roof clad entirely in photovoltaic tiles - one of the largest urban rooftop solar installations in the world. The topping out, celebrated during Salone del Mobile Milano, marks a significant milestone in the evolution of one of Europe’s most ambitious redevelopment projects.

Designed by BIG–Bjarke Ingels Group with Atelier Verticale, CityWave is constructed on the last two plots of the CityLife masterplan, a major new business district in a prestigious area of Milan, within walking distance from the Duomo. The building is set to complete in 2026.

Credit: Alberto Fanelli

Located on the former Fiera Milano fairgrounds on the northeast side of CityLife, the 73,000-m2 CityWave project is situated alongside buildings by Zaha Hadid, Studio Libeskind, and Arata Isozaki. The project originated from an international competition by Generali Real Estate, which initially called for two towers. Instead, BIG proposed a new typology for the city: a continuous canopy structure that unifies two buildings with interior courtyards divided by a shaded pedestrian plaza at the centre. The buildings – reaching 105 and 53 m respectively – anchor both sides of the street and serve as the gateway to CityLife, replacing the existing car ramps and tunnel that once dominated the entrance. Rather than competing with the surrounding context, CityWave completes it.

Credit: Alberto Fanelli 

“Milan’s history is defined by twin buildings and grand gateways - architectural markers that shape the city’s fabric. Rather than proposing two towers, we envision two courtyard buildings defined not by their height, but by connection - bridging the scale between the neighborhood and central towers. A sweeping canopy spans the void, serving as a tangible memory of Milan’s historic axis, while a colonnade of slender steel columns transforms the open space into a new public realm for the entire city - dissolving barriers between indoors and outdoors, between buildings and people." - Lorenzo Boddi, Partner, BIG

Credit: Alberto Fanelli 

CityWave’s dramatic timber canopy with steel cables stretches 140 m – longer than a football field. Shaped as a catenary curve, the structure features repeating tension columns that extend to the buildings’ façades, creating a sense of visual continuity. Between the twin buildings, the structure forms a shaded pedestrian plaza situated within a larger public greenspace, becoming a modern homage to the traditional porticos found throughout Italy. Similarly, the glass and upcycled stone exteriors reference the surrounding neighborhood’s stone architecture.

Credit: Alberto Fanelli 

As the first building in Italy to receive WiredScore Platinum certification along with WELL Platinum and LEED Platinum pre-certifications, CityWave supports Milan’s sustainability goals and exemplifies CityLife’s commitment to environmentally conscious practices. Passive strategies like groundwater cooling and thermal energy storage reduce overall energy demand by 30-40% compared to a building of similar size, while the photovoltaic roof maximizes on-site renewable energy generation.

Credit: Beauty & The Bit 

"This topping out is a major milestone for what has become a long-standing engagement with the urban development of Milano and the architectural culture of Italy. Through my guest editorship of DOMUS, I feel as if fully immersed in the deep heritage of Italian design. What we have attempted here is to resist the temptation to add yet another tower to the already majestic urban ensemble of CityLife, and rather create a truly inviting urban space as a gateway to this new neighbourhood. The solar roof of the timber canopy uniting the two buildings provides shade and shelter for the life of the city, and serves as an urban gesture of environmental and social performance. Like a 21st century interpretation of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, CityWave is a direct continuation of the pursuit of providing new forms of public space for the city." Bjarke Ingels, Founder & Creative Director, BIG

Credit: Beauty & The Bit 

CityWave blurs the boundaries between indoors and outdoors, offering 4,500 m2 of open-air space including internal courtyards and stepped loggias that facilitate natural ventilation, enhance the building’s sense of permeability, and become places of both respite and collaboration during the workday. The shaded loggias culminate in a shared rooftop bar and panoramic terrace on the 20th floor of the tallest tower, with unobstructed views of the Alps and Monte Rosa. Inside, the buildings are designed for health and comfort, with generous ceiling heights of 3.2 m and continuous glass walls that allow daylight to fill the space from both sides.

Credit: BIG


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Press release and photos courtesy of BIG