GREEN & BLUE INFRASTRUCTURE
“ GREEN ON THE GROUND”:
MILAN‘ HEALING CITY’ TAKES ROOT AT THE POLICLINICO
A‘ healing’ Nature that weaves through the pathways between hospital buildings, offering wellbeing and environmental comfort to patients, staff, and visitors in a place historically dedicated to health. This is the vision of LAND for the regeneration of the open spaces at the Policlinico di Milano: a project that began on March 25 with the planting of the first trees, a true gift to the city in celebration of the 35th anniversary of the international landscape consultancy led by Andreas Kipar. With permeability and ecological continuity, this part of the city, with 500 years of history, will regain its pulse, thanks to a widespread natural environment that will harmonize with the soonto-be-created Therapeutic Garden above the Sforza Pavilion.
Humanizing with Nature one of Italy’ s most important hospital centers. This is the primary goal of the landscape-environmental regeneration masterplan for the open spaces at the Ospedale Policlinico di Milano. Spanning an area of 8.9 hectares, the intervention by LAND Italia includes the removal of 3,122 square meters of impermeable surfaces, which will be replaced by 1,870 square meters of green spaces and 1,970 square meters of green walls, along with the planting of 100 new trees.
The first two specimens of Lagerstroemia indica were planted during the official launch of‘ Green on the Ground’ on Tuesday, March 25, the Day of Pardon, at the Ospedale Policlinico, with the participation of key city and regional authorities. A special day that celebrates 500 years of history while looking toward the future. To mark its 35th anniversary, LAND paid tribute to the Fondazione Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico by gifting the two trees to the city. This marked the beginning of the second phase of the project, focused on the first area of implementation in collaboration with HW Style and Consorzio SIS.
Greenery becomes the catalyst for an integrated and hierarchical system that connects the spaces, facilitates orientation, and offers shade and shelter to passersby, with protected pedestrian paths and smoother crossings. A capillary Nature creates environmental, social, and economic value. Targeted interventions such as de-paving, the use of nature-based solutions, the expansion of pedestrian areas, and the strengthening of safety for soft mobility all contribute to the environmental comfort and wellbeing of patients, staff, and visitors.
“ By planting the first trees of‘ Green on the Ground,’ we have sown a shift in perspective, moving from the built to the unbuilt to reconnect with the soil we walk on,” said Andreas Kipar, CEO of LAND and project lead.“ Breaking the asphalt in favor of Green means giving
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