aparto Milan Giovenale
aparto Milan Giovenale
Innovating Italy’s Student Housing Sector
Download Class Act: Redefining Student Living in Europe
About aparto Milan Giovenale
Completed in 2018 through a joint venture between Hines and Blue Noble, aparto Milan Giovenale is centrally located near Bocconi University and the vibrant Navigli neighborhood. This property provides modern, sustainably crafted living spaces for approximately 600 students and young professionals spanning 16,000 square meters.
Housed in a former department store warehouse, the property aims to create a holistic student living experience that supports a strong focus on overall well-being while also seeking to create a sense of community. To help accomplish these goals, aparto Milan Giovenale features innovative common areas such as shared kitchens and study spaces, relevant retail offerings, and sports facilities, including a gym and a yoga studio.
Explore current European living sector trends in Class Act: Redefining Student Living in Europe.
Full Life-Cycle Investment
Hines purchased the building in 2018, opened the facility to students in 2022 (despite the many challenges presented during the COVID-19 pandemic), and sold the asset in 2023, highlighting Hines’ ability to successfully see a property through every stage of its lifecycle. The asset continues to be managed directly by aparto, Hines' platform dedicated to operating innovative student accommodations across Europe.
Driving Growth in Italy’s Student Housing Market
aparto Milan Giovenale is in a prime location, just a short walk from Bocconi University, which has 15,000 students, with 3,700 international students¹, capitalizing on proven demand for student housing. The property also borders Navigli, a popular nightlife and tourist area. This means that the building is consistently in use—housing students when school is in session, and tourists when it is not. This strategy has helped to minimize any potential vacancy risks.
The Hines Difference
Over the course of the project, Hines became one of the first firms to increase Milan’s municipal buildability requirements, almost tripling buildability from 6,000 to 16,000 square meters in total, which allowed the project to create a larger total capacity of 600 beds. The project also demonstrated how the local Hines team was able to work hand in hand across divisions to get the facility open on time, despite the immense challenges faced during a global pandemic.
Looking to the Future
aparto Milan Giovenale represents a number of firsts for Hines—paving the way for an economy of scale in the Italian student housing market. Hines now (as of April 2025), has more than 5,000 beds either in operation, under development, or in the pipeline, and has expanded into Florence, Bologna, and (soon) Rome. What was once a niche sector, has now become a fully institutional and recognized portion of the European living portfolio.
Read why a new era in student housing could be taking shape.
