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In a pioneering example of adaptive reuse, a series of disused tunnels behind Milan Central Station were transformed into another type of platform. Starting April 12, the subway will be rebuilt in real time through a hybrid approach of 3D printing and construction partnerships, becoming a creative platform for the next generation of researchers, curators, architects and designers. Founder and architect Andrea Caputo calls this creative think tank “Dropcity”.
Over the course of the year, Dropcity will evolve into a much-needed gathering place where architects and designers can collaborate through experimentation and innovation. While the interconnected tunnels are virtually autonomous, they will host a series of exhibitions, lectures, experiments, DJ performances and live architectural interventions that bring to life the processes, technologies and thinking that shape contemporary creative life. Both an urban cultural center and a research cluster, the center will build on the city’s rich architectural and design heritage to provide an accessible “third space” for the next generation of architects and designers.
There are over 12,000 practicing architects and many more designers in Milan, so a place to foster dialogue is crucial. In this nearly 10,000 square meters of space, they can imagine better ways to practice, cultivate new ideas and promote their concreteness. The massive space will be able to house robotics, advanced prototyping, woodworking workshops, exhibition spaces and offices, as well as an urban architecture library and a growing materials repository.
After a major storm in 2023 downed several local trees and caused damage to infrastructure, Caputo responded to the government’s call to repurpose the spaces. His plan to incorporate trees into the tunnel’s interior roof helped ensure the smooth progress of the project. To help with the reconstruction, he has hired experts from Germany’s Kiel University and Tbilisi-based architecture collective SOCII, as well as Italian 3D printing leader WASP, who will design modular partition walls and blocks that can be assembled together. Visitors to the site will be able to view the space being built around them.
“We live in an era of paradigm shift, where traditional structures of design, life and belief are becoming obsolete,” said Caputo. “There is a need for a systemic transformation of design and architecture that is oriented toward diversity and collaboration, and we hope Dropcity To be able to contribute to the sport.”
Dropcity plans to open permanently in the fall of 2024. The database and public library will be opened to the public in 2025.
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