Moncler Investing in New Sprawling Headquarters in Milan
MILAN — Moncler is investing in new sprawling headquarters in Milan that will be completed at the end of 2024.
The company has signed a pre-letting 15-year agreement with real estate developer Covivio for a building that will be located in the Symbiosis business district, which is emerging as a key urban redevelopment project in the southern part of Milan. As reported, in July LVMH Italia inked a pre-letting agreement with Covivio for a 10-year lease of offices in the same district, which is located next to Fondazione Prada.
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Moncler’s new headquarters will cover more than 410,000 square feet and will allow it to bring together the company’s Milan-based employees, currently spread across three different locations. The employees in the city today total 500, but the building can accommodate up to 1,000 individuals.
“During the pandemic, we understood that we can work anywhere, but we also understood that it is when we are together that we make the difference and release all our energy,” said Remo Ruffini, chairman and chief executive officer of Moncler. “We want to reshape our employees’ work experience thanks to a place where people can express their full potential and where creativity and collaboration feel like home. We will continue to embrace and support the needs of our people by offering flexible working conditions, but my dream is to create a place where energy, well-being and attention to the environment are at the heart of everything, and where we all want to be.”
The building will be designed by the Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel International Architecture and Interior Design Studio, with environmental sustainability and the WELL and LEED certifications as key targets. Indoor air quality, thermal comfort, natural light, the use of natural and recyclable materials with low environmental impact, and highly energy-efficient systems to limit consumption are some of the priorities Moncler is listing.
“To achieve a high level of environmental sustainability, we designed a corporate campus with building systems that contribute to its thermo-efficiency and reduce its energy use,” said architect Patricia Viel, cofounder of ACPV. “In addition to installing photovoltaic panels on the roof, we took the original elements of the site, for example the industrial chimney, and redeveloped them with innovative, sustainable solutions.”
To wit, the chimney — a symbol of the old industrial zone — has been restored with a new, ecological purpose, to improve the thermal performance of the building by introducing outside air into a “bioclimatic greenhouse” surrounding the building. The surge tank located next to the building will be converted into a water tank that collects rainwater for the irrigation of the internal garden.
“What we are designing here is a corporate campus where spaces are shaped to enable innovation and collaboration among people,” said Antonio Citterio, cofounder of ACPV.
Alexei Dal Pastro, CEO Italy of Covivio, underscored how the partnership with Moncler “confirms the tremendous attractiveness of Symbiosis,” noting that, to date, out of the total more than 1.36 million square feet, more than one million square feet “have been already delivered or are under development, and successfully commercialized at 96 percent,” despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The area is expected to receive “new impetus from the important regeneration project of Scalo di Porta Romana,” continued Dal Pastro.
As reported, last year Covivio teamed with real estate firm Coima SGR and Prada Holding SpA — which controls the Prada fashion group — to acquire the Scalo Porta Romana former railway yard with an offer of 180 million euros.
Also located next to Fondazione Prada, the strategic area covering almost 50 acres is to undergo a major revamp that will potentially include a highline crossing the area from west to east, combine green areas, residential buildings, offices, social and student housing and community services, in addition to accommodations for the Olympic and Paralympic athletes competing in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games to be held in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. After the Games, the village will be reconverted into social housing structures and accommodation for university students.
Moncler, which is a signatory of the Fashion Pact, has been upping the ante on its environmental efforts. In 2020, for the second consecutive year, Moncler topped the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices World and Europe as industry leader of the Textile, Apparel & Luxury Goods sector. Last year, the company presented its sustainability plan called Born to Protect, which extends to 2025 and focuses on five strategic drivers: climate action, circular economy, fair sourcing, enhancing diversity and giving back to local communities.
The working areas of the new headquarters will adapt to the times, moving from traditional spaces to hybrid ones that stimulate socializing, creativity and inclusion, encouraging collaboration across the board. “The environments will be open and the furniture inspired by a family-like atmosphere, something closer to the comfort of a home than an office,” Moncler said.
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