Floating architecture experts studio MAST is turning its attention to a new project in Milan which will see a 60-metre-deep sand quarry repurposed as a green wellness space for the city.
Early renders of the Centroparco Milano project show a public walkway that skims the edge of the site’s one-kilometre-wide lake and stretches out into a bridge across the water and onto a series of floating buildings.
The current plan is for these to house a spa, restaurant and boat rental so that visitors can reach ‘forest islands’ at the centre of the water. Other floating spaces will be allowed a certain amount of room to drift and could welcome private events or picnickers.
MAST co-founder Marshall Blecher says, ‘The project represents the first of its kind in Italy, an innovative development that unlocks access to the unique natural setting.’
MAST plans to construct the park’s buildings using locally sourced timber, which will weather over time. Images of the project’s interiors show an airy, wood-lined space with a distinctive Scandi vibe, though the timeline for the project is still uncertain. The firm is working with the Municipality of Segrate toward realising the project, having recently completed its Land on Water project – an adaptable solution for building almost anything on the water, including floating homes, campsites, community centres and even parks.
