Founded on the idea of balance, Lybra is the new office complex designed by Park Associati to accommodate the new headquarters of SAP Italy.
Located at the intersection of Porta Nuova’s business district and the vibrant, character-rich Isola neighborhood, comprising two distinct yet harmoniously balanced volumes, the development reflects the dual nature of the city, engaging with two contrasting urban scales. The lower, recessed volume aligns discreetly with the residential fabric of Isola, while the taller building opens towards BAM -Biblioteca degli Alberi, establishing a visual and conceptual connection with the verticality of Porta Nuova’s skyline. Between them, a third element, the Green Void, acts as a hinge, both spatially and symbolically.
Instead of asserting itself through mass, Lybra introduces urban porosity. A new public plaza is carved out at the corner of the site, restoring access to a previously enclosed area.
The Green Void, a fully glazed vertical space flooded with natural zenithal light throughout the day, serves as the true heart of the project. Functioning as a bioclimatic greenhouse, it hosts tropical vegetation and a monumental wooden staircase that encourages vertical circulation, weaving a continuous spatial narrative between the two volumes. Natural light, visual permeability and tactile materials, such as sand-effect plaster enriched with cork aggregates, help create a comfortable environment that promotes the physical and mental wellbeing of its users. Filippo Pagliani, Founding Partner of Park, says:
“Within this vertical void, the staircase becomes a narrative gesture. It is not simply a link between floors, but an infrastructure of connection that encourages conscious movement through space. Its form follows the light, the greenery and the vertical rhythm of the building, transforming the ascent into an immersive experience.”
The building’s envelope pays homage to the aesthetics of historic greenhouses, with a rhythmic interplay of vertical and horizontal elements and a refined balance between transparency and opacity. The façades, glazed across more than two thirds of their surface, integrate energy harvesting technology. Photovoltaic modules embedded in silk-screened glass generate clean energy while preserving the building’s elegant urban presence. The system is the result of extensive research that combines aesthetic innovation with environmental performance.
Lybra acts as a catalyst for urban connection, both functional and emotional. By redefining the boundary between private and public, between glass and greenery, Lybra contributes a new sense of urban balance to Milan’s evolving architectural landscape.
