Three groups have been shortlisted for the new area of residential building in the Fiera area of Milan. A site covering 255 thousand square metres (of the total 440 thousand taken up by the Fiera) will be available as soon as the trade fair has been transferred outside the city to a new centre in Rho-Pero designed by Massimiliano Fuksas. The idea is to transform the legendary trade fair area into an extensive residential neighbourhood surrounded by greenery.

The three teams competing are made up of architects in partnership with building contractors: Isozaki, Libeskind, Hadid and Maggiora (with Citylife); Renzo Piano (with Pirelli Real Estate); Foster, Gehry, Moneo, Zucchi, Burdett, URB.A.M. (with Risanamento S.p.A.).

By the end of July the winner of the competition launched in October should be announced and the administrative procedures will begin for the preliminary contract for the purchase of the site. By March 2006, Sviluppo Sistema Fiera will hand over the site to the winner who is to complete the project in eight years, by March 2014. E.S.