Set along the western boundary of the Milano Innovation District (MIND) – a recently-developed neighbourhood bringing together cutting-edge scientific research and education, business and leisure facilities northwest of central Milan – MAD Architects, led by Chinese Architect Ma Yansong, has unveiled renderings of a monumental gateway complex.

While urban agriculture is nothing new – with people having sought ways to grow more in less space and with less soil for centuries – it’s certainly offering a very attractive opportunity for those who are actively looking for new ways to incorporate sustainable living into their daily lives.

Alex Richards is a Partner at Hollaway Studio, where he manages the Kent and London studios alongside Guy Hollaway and the team, working on a range of exciting projects from feasibility to construction. After leaving school, Alex worked his way up in an architect’s practice and managed to secure a place to study architecture in Scotland, where he graduated with a First Class degree. In this Q&A, Alex shares his thoughts on his most notable project to date, his approach to designing projects, sustainability in architecture, the greatest challenge for architects today and his advice for newly-qualified architects.

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