How to greenify the workplace with grace

Sheepishly or not, our surroundings manifest in our work. Colors, shapes, patterns of vitality and carefully carved out particularities tend to latch on to our means of self-expression, our pace–and bring unanticipated nuance. In architectural and urban planning studio Piuarch’s design of leading Italian natural gas transmission company Snam’s new headquarters, part of the Symbiosis urban project in Milan, greenery takes the leading role and simultaneously tranquilizes and rejuvenates the framework of the office space. The building, which is currently under construction, has been conceptualized around people, relationships, and a new workflow. 

Through a striking continuity between exterior and interior green spaces, the headquarters actively contributes to the urban regeneration of the southern area of Porta Romana. It is also very much in sync with Snam’s objective of contributing to energy transition and the sustainable development objectives of Covivio, renowned French real estate developer and collaborator on the project.

Home to several leading Italian and international companies, Snam has chosen to join Symbiosis, an innovative and sustainability-oriented urban regeneration project developed by Covivio. Zero local emissions, daily operations that rely mainly on the use of renewable energy, reducing CO₂ emissions, improving air quality and making cities more liveable, following the sustainability criteria of the European Sharing Cities initiative, all lie at the core of Symbiosis.

Founded by Francesco Fresa, Germán Fuenmayor, Gino Garbellini and Monica Tricario in 1996, Milan-based Piuarch specializes in contemporary architecture and prioritizes sustainable design. From the design of office buildings, retail and hospitality facilities to the planning of residential complexes, the studio has always been focused on and attentive to the aspect of environmental quality.

Situated between Via Condino and Via Vezza d’Oglio and with a total surface of approximately 19,000 m², Snam’s new headquarters consists of three overlapping volumes divided into 14 floors. The building features a wide variety of spaces–flexible offices, inclusive areas dedicated to social interaction, collaboration, creativity, and innovation that are all meant to ensure the wellbeing of each one of the 1,000 employees.

With its green roof and greenhouse spread across the seventh and eighth floors, the outdoors are defined by an over 8,500 m² park created with an open-air “verzura” theatre, open to the public for outdoor educational activities and events and designed in collaboration with landscape architect Antonio Perazzi. The forest follows the site’s perimeter and creates a thick majestic green curtain that produces a wide canopy, punctually opening onto non-geometric clearings where one can feel both embraced by and in harmony with nature. 

Its scenic composition sustained through transparency and openness, Piuarch’s modern landscape has been designed according to the highest standards of sustainability and comfort with the building garnering the most significant energy efficiency certifications, including Gold LEED & WELL, BRAVE, and CENED e Casaclima.

Through Piuarch’s vision for Snam’s headquarters, the office is no longer solely a physical place of work, but a destination–a destination where ordinary endeavours such as animated brainstorming sessions, eating together, and losing track of time fully absorbed in catching up with your colleagues are drenched in new light.