The one where you can stroll a few meters away from the spires of the Duomo; the one where you can sit to watch screenings of the best art films; the one where you can have an aperitif or a dinner, far from the busy streets.

Rooftops are the new “cult” places in the city of Milan, outposts that let you observe urban transformations, or admire the historical center, with its weave of courtyards and small, introverted spaces.

The rooftop garden by Piuarch is a model that can be replicated: an area based on the international movements of “urban farming” but with an utterly Italian approach, paying attention to the physical, environmental and human context.

The conversion of the roof of the studio at Via Palermo 1 in Milan trigger multiple actions with minimum investment of resources, demonstrating that it is possible to work on leftover spaces, transforming them into points of reference on a wider scale.

Created with landscape designer Cornelius Gavril and the collaboration of VerdeVivo, the garden addresses the theme of urban agriculture but does not stop short at the “zero-km” concept: it is open for educational uses, to illustrate the phases of growth of plants, especially for kids; it is available to the Piuarch team for breaks or meetings; and it offers a fine view for the neighbors, while improving the thermal performance of the building.