ARIA is an ambitious urban regeneration project transforming the 15-hectare Ex-Macello site, a former slaughterhouse in Milan's southeast Calvairate district, into a vibrant, sustainable neighborhood. Developed by Redo SGR as the lead of a consortium, the initiative won the second edition of the C40 Reinventing Cities competition in July 2021. Partners include housing cooperative Delta Ecopolis, IED for an international design campus, and financial backers like Fondo Immobiliare Lombardia, with investments exceeding 500 million euros secured through a 90-year land concession from the Municipality of Milan.
The masterplan, designed by a team of firms including Chapman Taylor, Barreca & La Varra, Stantec, Snøhetta, and CZA Cino Zucchi Architetti, spans 150,000 square meters and prioritizes mixed-use development. At its core are around 1,200 affordable social housing units—Italy's largest carbon-negative project of its kind—with rents capped at about 500 euros monthly for three-bedroom apartments, blending intergenerational cluster flats, student housing, and private residences. Over 30,000 square meters of existing structures will be preserved and repurposed using eco-materials like wood, green roofs, and photovoltaic panels covering 36,000 square meters.
Sustainability drives the vision: ARIA aims to be Milan's first carbon-negative district via renewable energy communities, district heating, phytoremediation through the "Fabbrica dell’Aria," and LEED Gold certifications. Public amenities include community gardens, sports areas, shops, an open-air theater, a science-infotainment hub, medical centers, and educational spaces like kindergartens. This holistic approach reconnects the neglected wasteland to the city, fostering social inclusion, cultural events, and environmental health just 2.5 kilometers from the Duomo.