Biblioteca degli Alberi Milano (BAM): Milan's Living Park Between the Skyscrapers

What Is the Biblioteca degli Alberi?

The Biblioteca degli Alberi Milano, known by its acronym BAM and translated into English as the Library of Trees Milan, is a 10-hectare public park in the heart of Milan's Porta Nuova district. It is managed by the Fondazione Riccardo Catella in partnership with the Municipality of Milan, and it sits in one of the most architecturally charged urban environments in Italy: a zone of glass towers, elevated walkways, and renovated post-industrial streetscapes.

The park's design concept came from Dutch studio Inside Outside, led by landscape architect Petra Blaisse, whose winning proposal dates to 2004. The central idea is deceptively simple: arrange trees into 22 distinct circular 'forests', each planted as a ring of the same species, so that visitors move between self-contained ecosystems rather than through a single undifferentiated green space. With more than 500 trees representing over 100 plant species, and roughly 135,000 plants total, BAM reads as a living catalogue of botanical variety. The name itself is the point: this is a library where each grove is a chapter. For more on how BAM fits into Milan's architectural evolution, see the Milan architecture guide.

A Brief History: From Industrial Wasteland to Urban Forest

The land now occupied by BAM was not always so green. The Porta Nuova zone was for decades a fragmented mix of rail yards, industrial plots, and underused urban land on the northern edge of Milan's historic center. The decision to redevelop it into a new business district, anchored by the UniCredit Tower and Piazza Gae Aulenti, was one of the most significant urban planning interventions in 21st-century Milan.

The park's journey to completion took well over a decade from Petra Blaisse's 2004 design commission. A particularly notable cultural moment came during Expo Milano 2015, when artist Agnes Denes created her installation 'Wheatfield' on this very ground, a reference to her landmark 1982 Manhattan land art work. The park was inaugurated for public use on 27 October 2018 under its current name and cultural program.

That cultural dimension is not incidental. BAM operates not merely as a park but as a year-round outdoor programming platform, hosting concerts, yoga sessions, outdoor cinema, workshops for children, and community events. The Fondazione Riccardo Catella publishes a seasonal calendar on the official website, and many events carry no admission charge.

What It Actually Feels Like to Walk Through

Enter from the Piazza Gae Aulenti side and the first impression is spatial contrast. Behind you: polished stone plazas, the circular fountain bowl, glass-clad office towers. Ahead: soft grass, the rustle of birch or hornbeam, and a drop in ambient temperature that is immediately noticeable on a warm afternoon. The park does not feel large from a map, but the circular grove structure means you are constantly turning, re-orienting, discovering a different canopy overhead.

The planting is organized so that each circular forest has a distinct sensory character. Some groves are dense enough that you lose the skyline entirely for a few seconds; others are open-topped rings where the tower blocks frame the sky above the branches. The ground between the circles varies: broad grass meadows suited to sitting and picnicking, narrower gravel paths connecting one ring to the next, and a dedicated picnic area with accessible tables.

The park has no formal 'route'. Most visitors drift from the Piazza Gae Aulenti entrance toward the central meadow, then follow the circular groves in loose arcs toward the Isola neighborhood side. The Passeggiata Veronelli, a raised pedestrian promenade along the park's eastern edge, offers a slightly elevated view over the tree canopies — a good spot for a quiet moment away from the main lawns.

Time of Day: How BAM Changes by the Hour

Early morning (before 09:00) is when the park belongs almost entirely to joggers and dog owners. The light filters through the circular canopies at low angles, the city noise is still manageable, and the air carries a genuine green smell — damp earth and leaf rather than exhaust. For photography, this is the most rewarding window: the contrast between the organic forms of the tree rings and the steel-and-glass towers behind them is sharpest in raking morning light.

Midday on weekdays brings office workers from the surrounding Porta Nuova towers, eating lunch on the grass. Weekday afternoons are relatively calm. Weekends between about 11:00 and 17:00 are the busiest periods, particularly when outdoor events are scheduled — the central meadow can hold a significant crowd for concerts or markets, though the grove paths remain navigable.

Summer evenings are arguably the best time to visit. The park stays open until 23:30 and the atmosphere shifts: the heat of the day dissipates, the towers glow, and the cultural program often places musicians or film screenings in the park. Families, couples, and groups of friends occupy the grass with picnic blankets well into the evening. In winter, the park closes at 21:00 but the bare-branched circular groves take on a sculptural quality that is genuinely striking — particularly after rain, when the ground reflects the ambient lighting of the surrounding district.

Getting There and Moving Around the Neighborhood

BAM sits squarely in the Porta Nuova and Isola district, making it easy to combine with other nearby attractions. The most direct metro access is Garibaldi station, served by M2 (green line) and M5 (lilac line), a five-minute walk from the park's southern entrance. From Milano Centrale railway station, allow around ten minutes on foot or take any tram heading northwest. The nearest metro stations listed on BAM's own map are Garibaldi, Gioia, and Isola.

The park itself requires no transportation within its grounds. It is entirely flat and step-free across its main paths, with wheelchair access confirmed from Via G. de Castillia, Piazza Gae Aulenti, and the Passeggiata Veronelli. The kids' play area is designed to be accessible for children with disabilities. For visitors planning a full Porta Nuova day, the Bosco Verticale — the planted residential towers designed by Boeri Studio — is visible from within BAM and only a short walk away.

Photography and Practical Considerations

BAM is one of the more photogenic parks in northern Italy, precisely because the contrast between designed nature and contemporary urbanism is so deliberate. The circular grove entrances, where a ring of identical trunks frames a patch of sky or a distant tower, produce strong geometric compositions. A standard wide-angle lens covers most scenarios; a short telephoto (85–135mm equivalent) is useful for isolating specific tree rings against the architectural backdrop.

There are no restrictions on amateur photography within the park. Drone use is subject to Italian civil aviation authority regulations and local municipal rules — do not assume it is permitted without checking current guidance.

What to bring: comfortable flat shoes (the grass areas are soft after rain), a layer for evenings even in summer, and a refillable water bottle. There are cafes and food options in the surrounding Porta Nuova district but no fixed kiosk within the park itself at all times — check the BAM website for seasonal concessions and event catering.

If you are building a broader itinerary around this area, the Milan 3-day itinerary places BAM logically alongside the Isola neighborhood and Piazza Gae Aulenti into a coherent half-day route.

Who Should Skip BAM (Or Adjust Expectations)

BAM is not a historic garden. Visitors expecting the formal geometry of Italian Renaissance gardens, the ornamental fountains of a classical park, or the depth of botanical collections found in a dedicated garden institution may find it pared down. The plant labeling is minimal compared to, say, a university arboretum.

Those visiting Milan on a tight itinerary focused entirely on historic art and architecture may reasonably prioritize other sites — though BAM is unusual enough in concept that it rewards even a brief stop if you are already in the Porta Nuova area. Visitors specifically interested in Milan's green spaces should also consider the Parco Sempione near Castello Sforzesco, which offers a very different, more expansive parkland experience, and the Orto Botanico di Brera for a more traditional botanical garden setting.