EXPLORING TRANSPARENCY : Viale Brenta student housing

PROJECT: student housing

DATE: semester 4, 2025

TYPE: academic project

Situated on a peripheral Milanese site adjacent to a high-traffic intersection, the project employs a perimeter block strategy to mediate between the dense urban fabric and the bustling infrastructure. The building volume develops along the exposed edges of the plot, acting as an acoustic and visual buffer that shields the interior from the busy crossing. This morphological choice carves out a sheltered inner courtyard, transforming the core into a protected microclimate of quietude and social intimacy.

The ground floor prioritizes transparency and accessibility through a nuanced material palette. The façade utilizes a graduated language of opaque, translucent, and transparent elements to modulate visual porosity. This layering allows the building to negotiate between the urban context and the interior, effectively defining varying degrees of privacy.

To ensure consistency and inclusivity, the project features two room typologies: a standard single with a private bathroom and an accessible variant for wheelchair users. The construction utilizes autoclaved aerated concrete for durable, insulated external walls, while lightweight plasterboard partitions provide internal flexibility.

The translucent aspect of the project is expressed through the use of polycarbonate, applied in a double layer: one facing the exterior to ensure material continuity, and one on the interior for a seamless finish. An insulated air gap takes advantage of polycarbonate’s natural properties, forming the “warm” side of the passive system in combination with the solar chimney. A black-coated plastic sheet within the chimney acts as a driver for warm air to rise. Air from the ducts in the dropped ceiling passes through the polycarbonate air gap before being expelled through the solar chimney, creating an efficient natural ventilation and heating system.

*renders by group partner

The building incorporates passive cooling and heating strategies through the use of solar chimneys and wind catchers. Mechanical components are located on the roof, with ducts distributing warm and cool air evenly across all floors, ensuring a comfortable indoor climate year-round. The roof is further enhanced with a biodiverse green layer, attracting local pollinators and supporting the natural growth of native vegetation, while also contributing to insulation and the overall sustainability of the building. The “cooling” component of the passive system is the cooling shaft. Outdoor air is drawn in through the solar chimney on the roof and channeled down a shaft spanning all floors. The air is cooled by a fine spray of repurposed rainwater, collected via specially designed courtyard tiles. The cooled air then rises naturally due to pressure differences and is distributed to all rooms through the network of air ducts, providing an efficient and sustainable cooling strategy.