Porte dei Laghi shopping centre near Milan the first in Italy to receive BREEAM ‘Refurbishment and Fit-out’ certification

Chapman Taylor’s refurbishment of the Porte dei Laghi shopping centre at Rescaldina, near Milan, has been awarded BREEAM Good status for sustainability in the ‘International Refurbishment and Fit-Out’ category – the first shopping centre in Italy to be so certified.

The refurbishment has been designed with a key focus on reducing consumption of energy, water and other resources while protecting the surrounding environment.

Phase one of the shopping centre’s transformation, designed by Chapman Taylor’s Milan studio for Auchan, was focused on refurbishing two galleries and two plazas. The interior galleries, systems, parking as well as horizontal and vertical paths were all renovated.

The design of the new spaces – the blue ‘Water Gallery’ and the green ‘Mountain Gallery’ – make it seem as if the natural colours and elements of the surrounding environment enter through the doors – this effect is a key focal point and symbol of the renewed development.

Phase two will create a 25,600m² extension building containing two new malls and piazzas – the ‘Forest’ and ‘Air’ galleries. A treetop pedestrian walkway through the adjacent grove of trees on one side of the centre will bring visitors in at first floor-level to the Forest gallery.

The extension has also been designed with a focus on sustainability principles, and is aiming at BREEAM Very Good certification in the ‘Shell & Core’ category.

With phase one completed, construction of the extension building will start within months