This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)

The old factories in Milan’s suburbs are increasingly giving way to new spectacular settlements, home to companies or entities that choose to transform and restore those places by offering new modern facilities to the city. In particular, the reconstruction of the building on via Primaticcio in Milan, a 6-acre area, was carried out on an industrial area which had long since been abandoned – what used to be Helen Curtis headquarters. After complete demolition by “Beretta and Associates”, the latter group of professionals built the new headquarters for L’Oreal cosmetics – a new complex stretching along the whole block with a large internal space reserved for a garden. Landscape architect Patrizia Pozzi was therefore tasked with designing the parterre-styled green area on top of the parking lot in the basement.

The pedestrian parterre was built in just 9.84 ft-thick ground, like a roof garden, using special light soil specifically designed for this purpose. Squares of turf alternate with split gravel of medium size made of yellow Verona marble and spots of colour obtained with four types of herbaceous plants- the latter represent the four seasons (Erica vulgaris for autumn, Viola cornuta for winter, Primula vulgaris for spring, Impatiens “New Guinea” for summer).

The parterre is thus a place worth observing from above, as well as enjoying on foot through a never-ending exchange between heaven and earth.

The plants

Trees, creepers and shrubs: Magnolia grandiflora “Gallisoniensis”, Trachelospermum jasminoides, roses “Neon”, Erica vulgaris.
Annual plants: Viola cornuta, Primula vulgaris, Impatiens “New Guinea”.
Materials used: medium-sized split gravel of Verona yellow marble

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)