100,000 LEED-certified ceramic tiles clad Milan’s restored Rainbow Tower

A cherished Milan landmark has been restored to its original splendor.

In honor of Expo 2015, the Milan City Council partnered with the Rete Ferroviaria Italiana Gruppo FS Italiane railway authorities to clad the famous Torre Arcobaleno (Rainbow Tower) at Porto Garibaldi with 100,000 colorful ceramic tiles. The Marazzi tiles are certified LEED for their incorporation of recycled materials in the production process.

Originally built in the 1960s an anonymous water tower, the 115-foot-tall structure was saved from demolition in 1990 and renovated into the Torre Arcobaleno, a colorful totem dedicated to the Soccer World Cup held by Italy in 1990. Over the next twenty-five years, however, the landmark’s appearance deteriorated. Studio Original Designers 6R5 Network, the design firm that led the 1990 renovation, spearheaded the 2015 restoration project with help from local partners including Bazzea – B Construction Technology, Condor, Fila Solutions, and Mapei.

The restoration began in mid-April and took 71 days to complete. Nearly 100,000 ceramic tiles in 14 different colors were used to clad 1,000 square meters of restored surface. The partner firms and architects fully covered the costs for the Torre Arcobaleno’s restoration, which is considered a gift to the city of Milan and the Expo 2015 visitors.