Fiero Milano Prepares for Inaugural Tradeshow

By Vanessa VanderZanden -- Tradeshow Week, 7/19/2004

Fondazione Fiera Milano is on schedule to open its first tradeshow April 2, 2005, in what will be one of the largest exhibition facilities in the world, Fiera Milano, in Rho-Pero, Italy.

Named Progetto Città, it is an "exhibition of environmental and public utilities, for all aspects concerning metropolitan and territorial development," according to Corrado Peraboni, managing director of Fondazione Fiera Milano.

Located between Milan and Malpensa, construction on the facility began in October 2002. Peraboni said, "It has been designed as a multifunctional facility in order to satisfy the different needs of our customers — large machinery and tools, as well as furniture exhibitions, sport events, concerts, and so on."

The new facility, with 3.7 million square feet of exhibition space and 645,000 sq. ft. of outdoor space, has a projected construction cost of €750 million ($922 million), all in private-sector funds.

Designed by architect Massimiliano Fuksas, the new complex will include tubular skylights and a 4,265-foot-long glass and steel sail that will connect the east and west entrances of the facility. "Show managers and exhibition owners, our main clients, have been involved from the very start," Peraboni said with regard to the facility's structure and design. "They informed us about their projected needs in terms of space and time."