MAPPING THE CITY
Citylife Apartments – Via Senofonte, 2, 20145 Milano MI, Italy
By Zaha Hadid Architects in 2013
The Citylife Apartments, designed by Zaha Hadid, an architect known as the “Queen of the Curves,” reflect her style for her innovative and dynamic designs.
The project is part of a larger CityLife development, originally in Fiera Milano. When Fiera was later relocated in 2005, the city launched an international competition in 2004 to create a district that explored Milan’s unique connection with modernization and urban living.
The project is divided into two main components. The first involves three skyscrapers by architects like Daniel Libeskind, Arata Isozaki, and Zaha Hadid. This area includes spaces like offices, restaurants, and other services that together create the central Piazza Tre Torri (Three tower plaza). The second component involves a luxury residential area made out of seven buildings with all different heights ranging from 5 to 13 stories. These residences include terraces, curving designs, and flowing design.This district is the largest car-free area in Milan, offering green spaces, bike routes, and walking paths, making this one of the focal points of the city with a focus on sustainability and innovative architecture.
The large balconies curve outward from the building and are one of the most distinctive aspects of the design. They emphasize the indoor-outdoor connection with their panoramic views.
The buildings are shaped like tapering waves, rising and falling in height along their length rooflines are irregular and sloped, and the shape overall gives an organic impression rather than something more orderly.
The curved structure of the building can be seen in this floorplan, where straight-line geometry is combined with an organic curve that is both functional and artistically expressive.
Monument to the Victims of Nazi Concentration Camps – Piazzale Cimitero Monumentale,
20154 Milano
By the Milan architecture group BBPR in 1945
The Cimitero Monumentale is a mixed-media historical expression of grief, unity, and religion located in the Northern region of Milan. Designed by Carlo Maciachini and inaugurated in 1866, it was built to consolidate Milan’s smaller burial grounds into a more unified space. The Cimitero Monumentale’s role is both a burial ground and a civic space for celebrating identity and memory in 19th-century Italy. The cemetery blends religious, secular, and artistic elements. Known for its electric architecture, the space celebrates inclusivity as it dedicates sections for Jews and Non-Catholics and houses one of Europe’s first public crematoriums. This was a strong progressive shift in Catholic Milan as it pioneered this way of crematory practices. Something interesting about this cemetery is that both its cultural impact and its physical expression represent chaos, eclectic statements, and diversity. The physical landscape of the space is unique on its own, which impacts its cultural relevance. The architectural style also represents Milan’s diverse design influences, which highlights the progressive nature of the city in terms of artistic and architectural influences. The Famedio, or Temple of Fame, was constructed to honor the citizens of Milan. This structure is a neo-medieval horizontal brick and marble form that includes many details. The Crematorium Temple, supported by industrialist Alberto Keller, represents a significant shift towards secularism and science in funerary practices. This was very radical in its time as it challenged the Catholic traditions in Milan. This movement embodied Milan’s embrace of modernity.
The entrance to the cemetery and the Famedio attract over 100,000 visitors per year. They are located near Gae Aulenti Square in the Northwest part of the city.
The inclusion of a Jewish section of the cemetery reflected the liberal and modern values of post-unification Italy.
This is known as the “Temple of Fame”, a grand entrance in neomidevil style which is meant to overlook the square in the front, guiding visitors.
The interior of the Famedia, which became a secular site of civic memory, showcases frescoes, sculptures, and inscriptions dedicated to artists, scientists, and patriots.
Citations:
- Falco, Alfredo. “Milan’s Monumental Cemetery: A Case Study of the City of the Dead.” The Journal of Architecture, vol. 20, no. 6, 2015, pp. 920–946. Gale Academic OneFile, https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA412783732&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=03071766&p=AONE&sw=w&userGroupName=anon%7E5ac463ec&aty=open-web-entry.
- “CityLife Apartments / Zaha Hadid Architects.” ArchDaily, 12 Jan. 2016, https://www.archdaily.com/785120/citylife-apartments-zaha-hadid-architects.
- “Zaha Hadid’s Style and Design Philosophy.” Engel & Völkers, https://www.engelvoelkers.com/de/en/resources/zaha-hadids-style-and-design-philosophy. Accessed 11 May 2025.
- “The Monumental Cemetery of Milan: A Place for the Arts and for Celebrating Civic Identity.” Art & Object, https://www.artandobject.com/news/monumental-cemetery-milan. Accessed 11 May 2025.