Competition: European Library of Information and Culture, Milan

The single-stage competition will select the best overall concept for the city’s long-awaited new central library which was originally proposed in the 1990s and was the subject of an international competition two decades ago but was derailed due to the 2008 financial crisis.

The €115 million project, planned to complete in 2026, will transform a 13,000m² site between Viale Molise and Via Cervignano within the Porta Vittoria regeneration zone close to the Istituto Europeo di Design.

According to the brief: ‘The project will allow the redevelopment of the former Porta Vittoria railway station area, through the construction of a new cultural centre with unique characteristics at national level and of fundamental importance for the city: a large infrastructure for access to knowledge, a hub of experimentation and digital research applied to cultural heritage, a centre for learning digital skills and an experiential space, in which all citizens will be able to experience the main languages of cultural production.

‘The purpose is not to create a generic “cultural space”, but a multi-functional structure, characterised by being a place of access to knowledge through different languages of communication, capable of offering services for study and research, especially of an interdisciplinary nature, often uncomfortable in university libraries, as well as opportunities for participation and cultural production, learning opportunities, stimulation of imagination and individual creativity.’

The European Library of Information and Culture is a long-awaited new central library for Milan. The concept was first adopted as an ambition in the 1990s, was officially inaugurated ten years ago and – despite lacking a physical venue – currently holds 27,000 digital items in its collection.

The competition comes a year after PLP Architecture was named as part of the winning team in an international competition to masterplan an Olympic Village for the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics at Porta Romana nearby. In March, UK-based David Chipperfield Architects unveiled proposals for a 16,000-capacity ice hockey venue in Milan which will also be used for the upcoming games.

The latest project will transform a large development site in the east of the city which was formerly home to the Porta Vittoria train station until its closure in 2004. The scheme will create a landmark new library feature both physical and digital collections available both physically on-site and through the internet.

Submissions will be judged on their ‘recognizability and identity from a compositional and architectural point of view,’ functional organization and flexibility, quality of materials and construction processes, quality of furnishings and the accuracy of cost calculations.

The competition languages are English and Italian. The overall winner, to be announced in July, will receive a €476,000 top prize while a second prize of €54,000, third prize of €44,000 and two further prizes each worth €32,000 will also be awarded.

Deadline

The deadline for applications is 1pm local time, 6 June.

Fee

€70

1.  Quality, recognizability and identity of the project from the compositional and architectural point of view, also in relation to the insertion of the work in the urban and social context, and to the synergies with the green system, public spaces and surrounding functions (max. 35 points).

2. Functional organization, flexibility and usability of spaces, internal and external, aimed at ensuring the use of the building by any user and worker, in line with the principles of universal accessibility (max. 20 points).

3. Quality of the design proposal in relation to the use of materials and construction technologies according to the timing of implementation for diversified phases, durability, environmental sustainability and maintenance of the same. In particular, the compatibility of the structures with the management system will be evaluated

robotic of the book heritage and with the presence of the railway loop, taking into account the vibrational impact and noise generated by it (max. 25 points).

4. Design quality of the furnishings and their ability to characterize the environments, as well as their distribution in the spaces (max. 10 points).

5. Quality and accuracy of the calculation of the expense, in line with the project and with the maximum amount of the works provided for by the Call (max. 10 points).

https://www.architectural-review.com/competitions/competition-european-library-of-information-and-culture-milan

Municipality of Milan
Urban Regeneration Department
Via Sile 8
Milan 20139
Italy

Email: URB.Direzione@comune.milano.it

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