Milan was the escape-Berlin trip I booked for my birthday. Since I never was the type of person who plans too much, I just let it all come as it should and see: I accidentally had the greatest company on earth by Juule and Alice. I am pretty grateful that I can call those two spontaneous ladies my friends - especially because we had some massive foodporn going on, besides this architecture guide which I will present you in a second. Overall, I must admit that I am a huge Milan fan. The Area we stayed in was Navigli and located at the canal. As soon as you come closer to the city center, you see skyscrapers and the most charming restaurants. I will definitely visit Milan again, but for now, feel free to enjoy my top 6 locations for Architecture lovers:
1. Fondazione Prada - Largo Isarco, 2, 20139 Milano
The formal industrial complex, which is now a Museum is a must. Located in the east of the city, the Fondazione Prada by Rem Koolhaas and Chris van Duijn has a whole external Area that you can explore for hours before entering the exhibition areas. We have spent the whole day there and it took us four hours to finish the Exhibitions alone. Besides the multifaceted venues, you have the chance to visit the Wes Anderson Cafe and enjoy your coffee next to pastel colored interior and gambling machines. (They don't work though)
The University Luigi Bocconi was the very first stop in Milan. Right after our arrival, we left the apartment for food and the Fondazione Prada. On our way, we stumbled over this impressive building by the Grafton Architects. As the school is ranked as one of the most prestigious Business and Law institutes in the world, its no wonder that the building itself moves as skywards as their alumni. While the north site of the building faces the busy streets, the south and the west is calm and cold, forms a private space for the students and builds the perfect environment to learn. The entry is wide and open, it allows the public to enter the private space, invites them downstairs to the enormous exhibition space. The Classrooms are connected to each other through cylinder shaped staircases, with slim windows to embrace your inner observer. The whole area is the perfect playground for a city stroll and extremely welcoming.
4. Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II - Piazza del Duomo, 20122 Milano
Not exactly a minimalistic spot, but a must for sure. Not only the fact that you´re probably visiting the Area anyway, because you will visit the Duomu, but also because a little tourism fun never killed nobody. The light falling into the Gallery will amaze you just as much as the roof. So you can still ignore all those PRADA shoppers around you and look up.
5. Torre Velasca - Piazza Velasca
This Brutalism Building was my Milan Favorit. Located in the south of the touristic Dome, this central area seems like a completely different world. The 50s Design is a result of the second world war bombings and had the logic approach of giving as many people as possible a space to live. The Building has over 26 floors of which 18 consist of offices and shops. The upper floors are for living. The Architects Gian Luigi Banfi, Lodovico Barbiano di Belgiojoso, Enrico Peressutti and Ernesto Nathan Rogers had a clear approach to collectivism and founded the Italian rationalism.
6. Museo del Novecento - Palazzo dell’Arengario, Via Guglielmo Marconi, 1, 20122 Milano by César Pell