Torre Velasca, the brutalist icon of Milano, rises again with 72 suites, Michelin-caliber dining, and a private members club that signals a new era for Italian hospitality.
On a Tuesday night in late January, every table at Sushisamba Milano was spoken for. The legendary New York restaurant had just opened its doors on the ground floor of Torre Velasca, and reservations stretched into March. But the real story isn’t the sushi. It’s what’s happening in the 25 floors above.
After years of meticulous restoration, Milan’s most polarizing postwar landmark is being reborn as something the city has never quite seen: a vertical village of residences, restaurants, wellness sanctuaries, and a private club designed to rival the world’s best. The project, backed by over €40 million from Dubai-based Sunset Hospitality Group, represents one of the most ambitious mixed-use transformations in Europe.
Developers Hines and architects Asti Architetti spent years peeling back decades of wear while preserving the tower’s distinctive mushroom-shaped silhouette. Now Sunset is filling it with life. The hospitality group, which acquired a majority stake in Maximal Concepts Holding last year, has been quietly expanding its footprint across major global markets. Italy is the next frontier.
The Vertical Experience
By June, the 18th floor will unveil Mia, a rooftop restaurant celebrating Milanese cuisine with sweeping city views. One floor below, Madison House will debut in July as the tower’s crown jewel: an exclusive members club modeled after its Singapore predecessor. Think intimate lounges, boardroom-quality meeting spaces, and direct access to a 1,000-square-meter spa and fitness center tucked into the basement level.
The residential component spans seven floors, offering 72 meticulously restored units under the Mett Suites & Residences brand. Fifty cater to short-stay guests seeking hotel-level services. The remaining 22 come equipped with full kitchens and are available for leases extending up to one year, targeting a new class of global nomads and corporate executives seeking something more refined than traditional serviced apartments.
Antonio Gonzalez, co-founder of Sunset Hospitality Group, frames the investment as part of a broader Italian strategy. The company views properties like Torre Velasca and Palazzo Cordusio as lifestyle destinations that blur the lines between hospitality, dining, and residential living. It’s an approach that resonates with affluent travelers and locals alike who want seamless access to world-class amenities without sacrificing the authenticity of place.
Beyond Milan
Sunset isn’t stopping here. The group closed 2025 with roughly $400 million in revenue and maintains operations across more than 100 properties in 26 countries. The company has already established a presence at Palazzo Cordusio Gran Meliá, where Giardino Cordusio serves guests in a luminous ground-floor courtyard steps from the Duomo.
Future expansion plans include Rome, Costa Smeralda, Taormina, the Amalfi Coast, Capri, and Cortina. The strategy is clear: identify Italy’s most dynamic luxury destinations and create immersive experiences that go beyond conventional hospitality.
It’s a bold vision for a tower that was once dismissed as an eyesore. Now, as Milan solidifies its position as Europe’s most compelling luxury market, Torre Velasca is poised to become not just a landmark, but a destination. The transformation proves that even brutalism can be beautiful when reimagined with ambition and care. For Sunset, it’s a calculated bet that Italy’s appetite for sophisticated, design-driven experiences is only beginning.
