THE ARIA EX MACELLO PROJECT IS BASED IN MILAN (ITALY), one of the European cities most exposed to water stress. In 2022, Lombardy experienced a deficit of approximately 30% in water resources, or nearly 900 million m3, following a winter with only a quarter of the usual rainfall, causing groundwater levels to drop and putting pressure on waterways. The authorities even had to impose temporary restrictions on water use and turned off the fountains. This was the context when devising the water component of the Aria Ex Macello project. Covering 15 hectares of a former slaughterhouse, the future neighborhood will feature active, circular water management, with groundwater from the Borgognone River being reused for non-potable purposes. Aria thus aims to reduce per capita water consumption by 30%. Combined with extensive greening and bioclimatic solutions that limit irrigation requirements, this strategy makes the site a showcase for addressing the issue of water scarcity. Aria thus demonstrates how a construction project can become a lever for adaptation in a region where pressure on water resources is increasingly becoming a structural issue. Milan responds to water scarcity INSPIRATIONS 122
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