Danish Maritime Architecture Studio MAST, working together with the Municipality of Segrate, plans to transform a former sand quarry into a central park to reconnect the surrounding neighbourhoods and create a new destination for the residents of Milan, Italy. The abandoned quarry has left behind a unique landscape. The off]ice’s proposal includes a series of buildings along the lake’s perimeter linked by a public walkway and a cluster of islands in the centre of the lake. MAST is currently working with the Municipality of Segrate toward realising the project.
The 1 kilometre wide, 60 metres deep sand quarry has been inactive for years, creating a landscape encircled by industrial remnants and overgrown vegetation. MAST’s proposal hopes to reimagine the area into a recreational space to offer city dwellers a retreat into nature. To achieve this, a series of buildings along the lake’s perimeters act as small nodes along a branching wooden walkway. The structures will house public amenities such as a spa, a restaurant and a boat rental station.
Some of these buildings, like the spa and boat rental station, are proposed to be built on floating foundations to provide uninterrupted access to the lake water despite fluctuating water levels, which can vary by up to 2 metres, depending on groundwater levels and rainfall. The boat rental will offer low-power electric boats for visitors to navigate the lake and discover the floating forest islands at its center.
Besides ample vegetation, the islands offer a series of additional attractions, such as the elevated amphitheatre on the largest island, providing a unique location for performances and public events. Smaller islands, marooned to the lake bottom, but allowed to drift within a limited radius, can welcome private events and picnics. All of the buildings will be pre-fabricated using timber portal frames and will be clad in locally sourced timber. The cladding will be left untreated to fade over time and “settle into the natural surroundings.”
The project represents the first of its kind in Italy, an innovative development that unlocks access to the unique natural setting. - MAST co-founder Marshall Blecher
MAST is a maritime architecture studio based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Their works cover architecture proposals and research aimed at reconnecting cities to their waterways in order to create healthier marine environments. Recently, the office has developed the “Land on Water” project, a system that provides an adaptable solution to building almost anything on the water: floating homes, campsites, even small parks, and community centers.
