The study was conducted as part of the third edition of the Summer School on Workplace Management, Milan 2020, in partnership with Vodafone Italy.

The project involved an in-depth analysis of the best relocation options for Vodafone employees in Milan, prompted by the downsizing of the company’s main headquarters in Lorenteggio.

The shift in work patterns triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 had significant implications, particularly for the design, management, and location of workspaces, which needed to adapt to new challenges. Researchers were tasked with developing an innovative workplace strategy for Vodafone Italy, considering the impacts of COVID-19 on these issues.

The project was supported by COST Action CA18214, The Geography of New Working Spaces and the Impact on the Periphery, along with the Department of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering (DABC), the Department of Architecture and Urban Studies (DASTU) at Polimi, Dipartimento di Eccellenza Fragilità Territoriali, and the Real Estate Center of DABC Polimi.

The research findings suggest that reversing the standard relocation process could be a successful long-term strategy. Rather than selecting a workspace based solely on real estate markets and transport links, the study recommends identifying suitable neighbourhoods where employees and their families could settle in the future. This approach offers multiple benefits, including:

1. i) attracting people to specific areas with regeneration potential;
   ii) reducing commuting and car pollution;
   iii) lowering public transport costs; and
   iv) supporting the real estate market while mitigating gentrification.

Based on multiple criteria, Impact Hub (via Aosta), Talent Garden (via Calabiana), and Avanzi Barra A were identified as the most suitable coworking spaces for Vodafone Italy to relocate its employees.