Like Chicago's Millennium Park and Toronto's proposed Rail Deck Park, ambitious schemes to spruce up disused or unsightly railways are catching fire around the world. Milan is the latest city to engage in this large-scale greening of obsolete infrastructure, with five architecture studios unveiling their own visionary ideas for seven dilapidated railway yards. 

MAD's proposal, image via MAD Architects

The concepts presented by MAD, Stefano Boeri Architetti, Mecanoo, Cino Zucchi Architetti, and EMBT Miralles Tagliabue were presented at Milan design week after a workshop in December. Officially called Scali Milano, the brownfield sites of Farini, Porta Genova, Porta Romana, Lambrate, Greco, Rogoredo, and San Cristoforo would be introduced to high-density housing, green space, and new transportation links.

A broader look at MAD's concept, image via MAD Architects

Milan-based Stefano Boeri — architect of the award-winning Bosco Verticale — unveiled a proposal for an urban reforestation project dubbed 'Green River.' It would see 90 percent of the property covered in public parks, forests, orchards, and a bicycle network, while the remaining areas would become a dense neighbourhood of residences, offices, and community services. The continuous green ribbon would extend 35 kilometres along the railway lines and could absorb over 45,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. 

Green River, image via Stefano Boeri Architetti

The master plan by Beijing studio MAD would be highlighted by sculptural towers arranged around an abundant green landscape, dissected by cycling and pedestrian paths. The existing freight warehouses would be preserved and reinvented as community hubs for a variety of events. Cino Zucchi Architects' scheme for 'Seven Beautiful Orchards' similarly employs a collection of adaptable gardens, criss-crossed by meandering pathways.

Like the rest, Dutch firm Mecanoo also envisions a site highly permeated with planted footpaths and cycling routes. But the practice attempts to minimize vehicular use as much as possible, with paved surfaces replaced by parkland. Student housing complexes and urban farms would contribute towards the new neighbourhood's diversity of functions.

'Seven Beautiful Orchards', image via Cino Zucchi Architetti

Under EMBT Miralles Tagliabue's 'Miracle in Milan' proposal, each of the seven sites would primarily serve as a nucleus for disparate activities. Districts for urban agriculture, botanical gardens, design, fashion, and start-ups help define these unique identities. 

Each proposal relies heavily on greenery to inform their overall designs, a key facet of environmentally minded development and sustainability that more architects have openly embraced in recent years. With space in major cities at a premium, and environmental considerations increasingly embedded within the architectural practice, masterplanned projects tend to get the most out of their sites, packing them full with a mix of amenities.