Green on the Ground, Policlinico, Milano

The Green on the Ground masterplan envisions the transformation of the open spaces at the Policlinico di Milano into an integrated, people-centered, and nature-driven system. With a surface area of 8.9 hectares between Via F. Sforza and Via della Commenda, the project aims to humanize the hospital environment, using nature as a design tool to bring well-being and comfort to patients, visitors, and staff.

Key interventions include depaving, the expansion of pedestrian areas, and enhanced soft mobility connections, combined with the introduction of green walls, planted surfaces, and 100 new trees, starting with two Lagerstroemia indica planted during the official launch on March 25, 2025. These actions increase biodiversity, promote climate resilience, and enhance ecological continuity, reconnecting the campus with its historical urban context.

The project introduces a hierarchical green system that connects open spaces, improves wayfinding, and provides shade and shelter. It is designed as a sustainable, gentle regeneration model, aligned with the vision of Milan as a Healing City. This transformation is a collaborative effort involving LAND Italia and the Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, in coordination with multiple partners.

Through Natural Capital Accounting, ecosystem benefits will be measured, including carbon sequestration, oxygen production, and perceived temperature reduction. Green on the Ground acts not only as a spatial intervention but as a cultural and environmental shift towards a new model of public health and urban care.