VITAE proposes an open and complex project, which creates innovative offices, designs new green spaces, and is open to city life
– Alexei Dal Pastro

Carlo Ratti Associati have unveiled the first images of VITAE – their winning concept in the Re-Inventing Cities competition.

The mixed-use building will have show-stopping biophilic elements, including a 200-metre 'urban vineyard' which weaves up through the building from the ground floor to the roof.

The green pathway will be designed to reflect the double-helix structure of DNA to symbolise the "embrace between research and biophilia".

The €40m (US$44.6m, £35.4m) scheme, which is being backed by real estate company Covivio, will also house a farm-to-table restaurant, office units, a cancer research centre, and a select number of guest rooms.

The new site will also serve as a venue for events on nutrition and education.

“VITAE proposes an open and complex project, which designs new green spaces, and is open to city life," said Alexei Dal Pastro, CEO of Covivio's Italy division.

"It's also an opportunity to activate – through architecture – a virtuous process of cross-fertilisation of all the expertise of the actors involved."

The project, which is being built on a greenfield site on the via Serio in south Milan, is anticipated to be completed in 2022.

The Re-Inventing Cities competition is organised by the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group.