A Gaze Projected into the Future

Science and innovation merge at the new frontiers of medicine and biomedical engineering in the design for the new Roberto Rocca Innovation Building, created by Filippo Taidelli Architetto for the campus of Humanitas University in Pieve Emanuele, in the province of Milan.

The architect had already realized three other buildings for the university campus a few years ago, including a hub and two research and teaching facilities. This newest complex, which blends in harmoniously with the other campus buildings, houses the new degree program in Medicine and Biomedical Engineering (MedTec School), the result of a collaboration between Humanitas University and the Politecnico di Milano. The new intervention, however, introduces a different architectural language, combining existing compact and solid volumes with a transparent structure that appears suspended in the greenery.

The building was constructed using a system of exposed wooden beams and pillars combined with glass elements and reinforced concrete floors. This design creates a warm and welcoming environment while maintaining a high degree of energy efficiency. In fact, the project has obtained LEED Gold certification for its commitment to sustainability.

The Roberto Rocca Innovation Building encompasses an area of 6,000 sq. m and develops across three floors above ground, plus a basement which houses technical rooms, an optical laboratory, and some service areas. The ground floor is characterized by a spacious, 500-sq. m, multifunctional central nave equipped with study stations. Along the perimeter are two Problem Based Learning (PBL) rooms, dedicated to a pedagogical approach that encourages students to think critically and resolve complex,
real-world problems. There is also a study room and three classrooms with moveable walls, each measuring 200 sq. m, that can be reconfigured to create new spaces. A metal staircase leads to the first level, which hosts workspaces like the AI Center, Humanitas’ artificial intelligence center, and the 3D printing laboratories. The second floor is dedicated to the executive and administrative offices that overlook a green terrace. The designer inserted fully transparent classrooms and work areas within the spaces to ensure permeability between the environments and promote sharing.

The color palette is neutral, enhanced by wooden tables, the ocher and red-hued couches that provide touches of color, and blue partitions separating some study areas. The gray stoneware flooring recalls the color of the cement slabs, while the wooden structural mesh creates a stark contrast with the dark gray infill, giving rhythm to the walls. The LED lighting was designed with dark spotlights, inserted within the beams and wooden pillars, to provide uniform light in the room. The building’s transparent envelope, characterized by a double glass skin, maximizes natural light intake and ensures visual continuity with the adjacent park, creating a dialogue between indoors and outdoors. Photovoltaic panels were also added to the roof and pumps for groundwater extraction were included to minimize energy consumption. A geothermal system manages both winter and summer air conditioning, making the Humanitas University Campus completely gas-free.

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Roberto Rocca Innovation Building - ©Giovanni Hanninen, courtesy of Filippo Taidelli Architetto

A system of wooden beams and pillars, combined with reinforced concrete floors left exposed, frame the spaces with an industrial flavor. Study areas with tables and seating are located on the ground floor.

Roberto Rocca Innovation Building - ©Giovanni Hanninen, courtesy of Filippo Taidelli Architetto

Roberto Rocca Innovation Building - ©Giovanni Hanninen, courtesy of Filippo Taidelli Architetto

The top floor opens onto a spacious terrace, characterized by sand-colored tiles that blend harmoniously with the transparent structure. A projecting metal grating roof offers shaded areas, creating welcoming and protected spaces.

Roberto Rocca Innovation Building - ©Giovanni Hanninen, courtesy of Filippo Taidelli Architetto

A metal staircase that winds through the entire building length connects the ground floor to the floor above. On the first and second floor, classrooms and workspaces, wrapped in glass walls, maintain a strong connection with the outdoor environment.

Roberto Rocca Innovation Building - ©Giovanni Hanninen, courtesy of Filippo Taidelli Architetto

Roberto Rocca Innovation Building - ©Giovanni Hanninen, courtesy of Filippo Taidelli Architetto

Flowerbeds and green areas enrich the building’s outdoor space, directing students towards the entrance via a structure supported by pilotis. The double-skin ventilated façade guarantees excellent natural lighting inside and visual continuity with the surrounding green environment.

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