Study trip to Milan: insights into the Italian real estate market

Day 1: Introduction and insights into the Milanese real estate market

The first day started with a warm welcome at the Politecnico di Milano. During a welcome coffee, we had the opportunity to get to know our fellow students better. We were then welcomed by Marzia Morena and Tommaso Truppi from the Real Estate Center of the Politecnico di Milano, who presented the program and the objectives of the study trip.
This was followed by an introduction to the Italian real estate market by Carlo Vanini and Romina Papa from Cushman & Wakefield, who gave us an overview of the specific challenges and opportunities of the market. The speakers emphasized that Milan plays a central role in this context due to its growing interest for international investors and is considered a hub for real estate investments in Italy. Afterwards, the students had the opportunity to ask questions and actively discuss with the experts.

After a short coffee break, Massimiliano Pulice, Chairman of the Italian Board of RICS, and Roberto Calamandrei, Partner and Manager for Public Affairs at RICS, presented the work of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. They explained the importance of professional standards and ethical guidelines for the real estate industry and presented the RICS Matrics program for young professionals. A group photo in front of the Politecnico di Milano marked the end of the morning.
After lunch, we visited the CityLife project at Piazza Tre Torri. This district, initiated by Allianz, is a prime example of modern urban development and sustainable design. The tour gave us exciting insights into the complexity and innovation behind such a large-scale project.

Day 2: Visit to Porta Nuova and discussion of market trends

On the second day, our program started in the Porta Nuova district, one of the most prestigious real estate projects in Milan. After a welcome coffee, Raffaella Peloso from CBRE presented the topic of hotel investments and explained the increasing importance of this sector in Milan. After a Q&A session, Carlo Walder and Manuela Nitti from Savills gave a presentation on logistics real estate.
They emphasized that the logistics industry, driven by the boom in e-commerce, is an important growth sector in the real estate market.
After lunch, we had the opportunity to visit the Porta Nuova district, accompanied by a meeting with representatives of Coima SGR, who are responsible for the development of this iconic project. Porta Nuova is a symbol of Milan's transformation into a modern and sustainable metropolis. The tour allowed us to experience the architecture and urban planning first hand and to understand the challenges involved in realizing such large-scale projects. A particular highlight of the tour was the Bosco Verticale, a high-rise building with around 900 trees a planted on its facade. This vertical garden gives the building a distinctive and impressive look.

Conclusion

The study trip to Milan was a unique experience for us as students of the MSc Real Estate. The two days were filled with valuable lectures, exclusive tours and inspiring discussions with industry experts, which showed us how the real estate market in Milan and Italy is developing. We return with new insights, contacts and an expanded perspective and look forward to applying the experience gained to our future professional challenges. Our visit to Milan has shown us how diverse the world of real estate is and what opportunities and challenges await us. Special thanks go to Prof. Dr. Michael Trübestein, the Real Estate Center (REC) of the Politecnico di Milano and all participating companies for the organization and the unforgettable insights into the world of real estate.