In preparation for the World Expo 2015 in Milan, Italian staircase company Fontanot, Tokyo-based architecture firm Arata Isozaki & Associates, and Milan's Andrea Maffei Architects are collaborating on the Torre Isozaki skyscraper. At 202 meters (662 feet) high and 50 stories tall, Torre Isozaki will be the tallest building in Italy. Nicknamed Il dritto, or "the straight one," it will join two other office towers, designed by London-based Zaha Hadid Architects and New York’s Studio Daniel Libeskind. The three commercial skyscrapers, which will also include retail and residential spaces, collectively form the CityLife project.
The staircase connects the building’s halls with a lateral structure in varnished steel. Tempered stratified glass panels, set apart by stainless steel, and interposed film are located inside the lateral structure with a shiny polished border on all four sides. The railings, also stainless steel, will have an integrated LED illumination system. The treads and the landings are made in white Lasa marble.
Torre Isozaki is expected for completion by May 1, 2015, for the start of the World Expo, an exposition that takes place every five years in a different city. Milan will host next year’s event with the theme “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life,” which will explore the interconnectedness of sustainability, nutrition, and the planet's natural resources. In conformity with this theme, Torre Isozaki has been pre-certified for a LEED Gold rating. Renewable energy sources such as district heating and solar panels will power the tower when finished.
For more on the CityLife project, check out this feature from our May 2014 issue.
