It sounds like the beginning of an episode of Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? — only there’s no antiheroine in sight, but… a tree. A tree that stood 37 meters tall, with a beating heart of lights, water, and music, and the last time anyone saw it was amid the endless queues of Expo 2015.

What happened to the Tree of Life? Surely you remember it. Towering proudly among the pavilions, its steel roots firmly planted at the center of the Lake Arena, while thousands of people stood gazing upward, mesmerized by its choreographed shows. Lights, fountains, epic music, and a crescendo of emotions worthy of a 4D musical. It was the symbol of the Italian Pavilion, of course — but let’s be honest: the whole of Expo ended up gathering there, like tourists at the Trevi Fountain.

Made of wood and steel, and (reportedly) inspired by the Luminator Bernocchi lamp — one of the icons of Italian industrial design — the Tree also had a noble lineage: its very design would later inspire the Palazzo dell’Arte, now home to the Triennale. In short, it wasn’t just any old Christmas tree. 

In 2015, over 14 million visitors — about two-thirds of the total Expo attendance — witnessed its shows. And then? Then came the great dilemma that loomed over the Tree’s fate — and, more broadly, over all the post-Expo structures: “So... where do we put it now?”

Suggestions came flooding in. At one point, there were even rumors of moving it to Piazzale Loreto — already a sort of permanent existential crossroads. Just imagine it: a giant glowing carnival ride in the middle of Milan’s most chaotic roundabout. The idea teetered between sadistic and brilliant. A beacon to guide drivers to the exit. Or maybe just to confuse them even more.

No luck. In the end, the Tree of Life stayed right where it was, planted at the center of the post-Expo void. Silent, like an early-2000s pop star waiting for a comeback — or a promising Serie A talent sidelined by a torn ACL.

And yet, a few affectionate nostalgics never really forgot about it. There are still playlists floating around on Spotify featuring the Tree’s show music — from the Tree of Life Suite to L’ombelico del mondo. Because memories, as we know, always need a soundtrack.

And now? It seems the Tree won’t just be returning to its light shows starting in 2025 — as announced by Igor De Biasio, CEO of Arexpo — but will also be restored to its original glory by autumn 2027. The makeover will be made possible thanks to a €140 million grant recently awarded by the Ministry of Economy to the City of Milan.

The goal? To transform the square around the Tree into a new gathering space for students from the University of Milan, which will move part of its courses to the area.

Welcome back, Tree.
Go forth, and teach those students everything they need to hold their own at karaoke night. 

Opening image: Photo Gennaro Leonardi from Adobe Stock