On 16th September, ULI Italy hosted an international group of members in Milan for an inside look at Expo Milano.  The group included attendees from the UK, France, Portugal and Canada, as well as members of ULI Italy.

The day started with a breakfast at CityLife, one on the largest mixed use development projects in Europe. Following a brief overview of the CityLife development, participants took a tour of the Allianz Tower. Designed by Isozaki, the tower is the tallest building in the city of Milan at over 200 metres tall. Attendees were able to use the building’s brand new panoramic glass elevators to reach the 35^th floor, where they learned about the development of Milan while overlooking the city itself.

Next, the group visited some residential apartments designed by Libeskind and discussed efficiency and attractiveness in residential developments.

Participants then moved to Expo Milano for a guided visit of several pavilions, followed by a panel session on how large-scale events like the Expo can change and influence the future of cities.

The session began with ULI Italy Chairman Giancarlo Scotti discussing ULI’s role as an active player in designing cities. Panellists Matteo Gatto (Director of Visitor Experience and Exhibition Design at Expo Milano 2015), Luisa Collina (Rector’s delegate for Expo and internationalisation policies, Politecnico di Milano) and Lorenzo Pallotta (Expo Milano Project Manager) then discussed the master plan of the Expo pavilions. To close the event, Joanna Rowelle (Director, Arup) and José Quintela (Senior Adviser, Design and Architecture, Sonae) recounted their respective experiences at the London Olympics in 2012 and the Lisbon Expo in 1998.