Mixed-use, a strategic challenge for the cities of tomorrow

Mixed use: definition and key principles

Mixed use refers to the coexistence of various functions within the same space: housing, work, shops, leisure and services. Unlike traditional zoning approaches, where each space is dedicated to a single use (residential, tertiary or commercial), functional diversity brings these functions together to create vibrant and efficient urban ecosystems.

• Objective: to promote mixed-use projects and mixed-use real estate that reduce distances and enrich local life.
• Benefit: optimise the sharing of resources (spaces, car parks, services) and encourage the reversibility of buildings over time.
• Impact: contribute to reducing the carbon footprint by limiting travel..

Mixed use in cities: towards multifunctional urban planning

The model helps to avoid dormitory towns and business districts that are empty after 6 p.m. By reintroducing diversity into urban spaces, including city centres, mixed-use development in cities stimulates social interaction, shortens daily commutes and enhances existing infrastructure. It is in line with major trends in mixed-use urban planning, such as soft densification and eco-neighbourhoods, and is based on active mobility and intermodality.

The “15-minute city”: a vision that serves citizens

Popularised by Carlos Moreno, the concept of the 15-minute city aims to enable every resident to access essential services — work, housing, entertainment, healthcare — within a 15-minute walk or bike ride.

Covivio is embodying this vision in several projects, including Scalo di Porta Romana, Milan’s future Olympic village. Led by Coima SGR, Covivio and Prada Holding S.p.A., this project is one of Milan’s biggest urban planning challenges for 2025-2030.
 After the 2026 Winter Games, Scalo di Porta Romana will be transformed into a multifunctional neighbourhood comprising student residences, green spaces, shops and community facilities.

The goal: “To create an Olympic village that will become a lasting legacy of Milan’s heritage,” says Anna Di Gironimo, co-director of development for Covivio in Italy, in Reinventing Our Real Estate Stories (Urban Designers magazine).

Mixed use in buildings: multifunctional and flexible spaces

Functional diversity in architecture is not limited to the urban scale: it also applies to buildings. These spaces are becoming multifunctional hubs capable of meeting users’ needs by integrating a variety of services and active ground floors.

Example: Stream Building in Paris, winner of the Reinventing Paris competition. The building combines offices, a hotel and shops on the ground floor. It also houses a third place, the Stream Café, designed as a space for welcoming, meeting and relaxing, but also for reflection, with a large library on Stream research topics. A solidarity-based coworking space (Cinaspic), operated in collaboration with the City’s Attractiveness and Employment Department, provides a home for neighbourhood associations.

• Key advantages: reversibility of spaces, shared use, shared services
• Measured effects: continuous activity, improved usage performance and reduced travel.

Specialised assets: multi-functional hotels and residences

The mixed use of buildings also opens up new possibilities in traditionally single-purpose assets, such as hotels and residences. Covivio is transforming these spaces to incorporate new uses and maximise their value.

• Hilton Lille (renovated by Covivio): beyond accommodation, integration of event spaces, creating a community hub and a vector of attractiveness for the city.
• Noème in Bordeaux: a combination of housing, green spaces and local shops, bio-based materials and green roofs for high environmental quality. A lifestyle philosophy focused on sport, culture, short supply chains and intergenerational ties — an ambitious environmental approach.
• Rueil-Malmaison / Degrémont: conversion of five office buildings (former Suez site) into 149 flats with 100 m² of commercial space and renovation of the auditorium into a public space: a cultural space for creativity, meeting and sharing, contributing to the liveliness of the ground floor, which opens onto the surrounding area..

Strategic benefits of mixed use

Integrating mixed use into real estate projects offers tangible benefits for users, investors and local authorities.

• Urban resilience: diversification of functions, reduction of economic risks in times of crisis.
• Reduced travel: proximity to services, fewer daily journeys and lower CO₂ emissions.
• Resource optimisation: shared car parks, common areas and technical services.
• Enhanced attractiveness: diversity of users, vibrant neighbourhoods, better synergy between business districts and city centres.
• Environmental performance: contribution to the decarbonisation of buildings and control of the carbon footprint through reversibility and intermodality.

Covivio’s vision: building the cities of tomorrow

Through its projects, Covivio proves that mixed use is not just a theoretical concept: it is a concrete strategy that redefines the real estate landscape and reinvents urban spaces.

Whether it is Stream Building, Rueil-Malmaison/Degrémont or Noème, each project demonstrates a clear commitment to a sustainable and innovative vision.

“Offices, hotels, housing: we create smart, flexible, environmentally friendly spaces that are pleasant to live in,” emphasises Christophe Kullmann, CEO of Covivio, in the editorial of Reinventing our real estate stories (issue no. 6).

By combining innovation, sustainability and economic performance, Covivio has established itself as a key player in urban transformation. Mixed use is thus becoming a driving force for building the inclusive, resilient and efficient cities of tomorrow.