Arexpo, the company that owns and develops the MIND (Milano Innovation District), announced a change in strategic identity on April 14, 2025, officially assuming the new name Principia.
The presentation, which took place at the Pinacoteca di Brera, marked the start of a new phase for the company, which is extending its mission of urban regeneration at a national level.
The name “Principia” is the plural of the Latin word principium, which means both “beginning” and “foundation” or “raw material.” This name, chosen through a process that involved employees and the branding studio Carmi and Ubertis, evokes a link to the historical roots of urban planning.
Principia, in fact, was also the name of the beating heart of Roman camps, where the main roads (cardo and decumanus) met. This symbolism recalls the configuration of the area that hosted Expo Milano 2015, now MIND, and highlights the company’s vocation to create new development centers.
A mission extended to all of Italy
Principia’s identity is accompanied by the new payoff “Rinascimento Urbano” (Urban Renaissance), which clearly expresses its mission. In fact, it’s not only the name that has undergone changes but also the heart of the project, which today assumes the objective of transforming and regenerating disused public areas, creating value for local territories and communities.
Law 21 April 2023, n. 41, converted Decree-Law 24 February 2023, n. 13, extending the scope of action of Arexpo (now Principia) to a national level. This legislative change has allowed the company to operate as a contracting authority and developer for urban regeneration projects throughout Italy.
Therefore, Principia will no longer be limited to projects like MIND in Milan and Parco Cardano in Pavia, but will support public administrations throughout Italy for the redevelopment of public assets and areas.
The CEO Igor De Biasio stated: “Arexpo has grown a lot in recent years. It seemed like the right time to give the company a name that looks to the whole country. We chose to accompany it with Rinascimento Urbano because we believe that the Renaissance was the period in which Italy expressed the best of its ability to innovate.”
A visual identity that marks a new era
The choice of the new name and mission is also translated into a distinctive visual identity.
Principia’s logo features a cube formed by vertical segments, a symbol that evokes an idea in a phase of construction, about to become a concrete project.
The typographic font, Forma, is also a tribute to the excellence of modern Italian design, a further confirmation of the company’s vocation for innovation.
The name change was unanimously approved by all shareholders, including the Ministry of Economy, the Lombardy Region, and the Municipalities of Milan and Rho.
This moment is marked as a significant step in the history of a company that, ten years after the birth of MIND, is positioning itself as a protagonist of future urban development in Italy, with the solidity of a historical legacy and the bold vision of a new beginning.
