• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, September 22, 2021

In its latest streamlining move, WPP has unveiled its latest campus, in Milan, Italy which consolidates 35 agencies and 2,000 staffers into a single renovated facility in the San Cristoforo district. 

The new facility, which is the size of four football fields, is part of an urban redevelopment project in an abandoned industrial area within the city. Previously spread across nine different sites, the co-located agencies will have access to state-of-the-art work, social and event spaces equipped with the latest technology, and amenities including restaurants, a minimarket, ATM and a pharmacy. 

The campus is fully operational with a hybrid working model (70% office-based working and 30% work from home).  WPP does not have a vaccine requirement, but the Italian government recently mandated that all at-work employees must be vaccinated and provide proof to employers.

“Our Milan Campus is designed for how people want to work in the future and designed to inspire people to do their best work, to collaborate and to learn from each other,” WPP CEO Mark Read.  “It’s equipped with the latest technology and meets the highest environmental standards.” And he added, it will “regenerate this part of Milan, making it a destination for Italy’s creative talent and a destination for clients seeking out the best ideas and technology.” 

The new hub was designed by WPP’s BDG architecture + design with sustainability top of mind. It retains the site’s existing architectural footprint while improving its environmental performance. 

By reusing an existing building, WPP said it is avoiding the emission of thousands of tons of embodied carbon – equivalent to more than 30% of the building’s lifetime carbon emissions. 

The new campus will be plastic free and consume less paper, and will be operated by LED lighting powered entirely from 100% renewable energy sources. 

As part of its environmental impact reduction program, the campus is expected to save 12,000 MWh of energy, 6,900 tons of CO2, 15 tons of waste and 13 million liters of water annually. 

In line with WPP’s campuses around the world, the new building aims to obtain BREEAM certification – an environmental assessment methodology designed to monitor, evaluate and certify the sustainability of buildings, which currently has only been awarded to fewer than 50 buildings in Milan.

With the Milan opening, WPP now has 20 campuses worldwide.