Rising with its distinctive shape in the heart of the city, the building designed by Studio BBPR in the 1950s stands as a monument to Italian modernism, conceived to engage with Milanese tradition while projecting itself into the future.
For the Christmas season, the historic Torre Velasca — which has undergone a three-year restoration project led by Hines, a global real estate investment, development, and management firm — has been transformed into a luminous installation that inspires emotion. The lighting design project, crafted by the lighting design department of ESA Engineering, aims to highlight the tower’s beauty, even against the city’s nighttime skyline.
Until January 6, the Torre Velasca lights up with three distinct “chimes” at 6:00 PM, 8:00 PM, and 10:00 PM, spreading a message of hope and connection to unite Milanese residents and visitors from around the world. It’s a spectacle that carries an invitation for all: “Stop, look up, and make a wish.”
The overall lighting project, meticulously designed and developed, aims to enhance the building’s form and material while respecting its structure and historical value. The balance between monumentality and elegance is achieved through a gentle glow that highlights the building’s entire form, a uniform light that accentuates the overhang on the 18th floor, and detailed lighting to emphasize the vertical ribs, drawing the eye upward, where the illumination culminates on the copper roof.
The innovative element lies in the introduction of dynamic lighting on a historic building, giving Torre Velasca an active role in communicating with the city. This creates a theatrical effect that inspires and emotionally engages its audience. The result was achieved through the installation of 206 lighting fixtures, involving over 40 specialized workers, and continuous dialogue with the Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Landscape Superintendency of Milan.
The intervention on Torre Velasca reflects the decades-long expertise of ESA Engineering’s lighting design department in architectural lighting. In 2024, a permanent lighting project will take shape, characterized by elegance, respect for the building’s history, and innovation.
The final project will extend from the façade to the adjacent square, enhancing the urban value of the public space. This will be achieved through the use of highly energy-efficient lighting fixtures, meeting the highest international sustainability standards. The historic lamp posts in the square, designed by BBPR and located near the tower’s entrance, will also be restored and renewed, preserving their original design coherence.
The regeneration of Torre Velasca is overseen by Asti Architetti, in collaboration with ARS Aedificandi, CEAS Studio, ESA Engineering, and in constant consultation with the Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Landscape Superintendency of Milan.
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