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ARCH. MATTIA VOLPATO - ARCH. MICHELE PERLINI
The off-grid island for a return to sociality and analog life
Born from the collaboration between architects Mattia Volpato and Michele Perlini and created by faargo, My Island is an urban island designed to create a space for rest, connection, and observation. An invitation to slow down, sit down, disconnect from the screen, and return to looking at the world—and people—with an analog gaze.
My Island exhibition during Milan Design Week 2025 in Piazza Cordusio, Milan
The window.
The window installed on My Island is Eurofinestra's "Perenne Essenziale". Made of solid ash, like the entire structure of the island. Natural on the inside, heat-treated on the outside to ensure durability and material consistency.
The window is aligned with the central shaft and, during MDW25, framed Milan Cathedral, creating a precise and calibrated viewpoint; a coherent extension, designed to open up the boundary between the project and its context.
Simple shapes, clean cuts; each volume is designed to complement the structure. The vases also follow this principle. Both are made of wood: one is left in natural ash, the other is covered in concrete, with a rough texture that contrasts with the softness of the oiled wood.
The construction system.
The island is built on an elliptical ash platform, four meters long and three meters and fourty-five wide. The base is composed of four modules joined together with hidden joints, designed fdesigned to be easily transported and assembled.
All the elements – seats, containers and windows – are designed as independent units, integrated with each other but completely removable.
Technical drawing
1. Seat detail - 2. Stratigraphic detail of the "Perenne Essenziale" window frame - 3. Seat corner detail
360° view during Milan Design Week 2025
Handcrafted construction.
The entire production process took place in our carpentry workshop, using natural and sustainable materials. Each element was selected based on the grain, stability, and uniformity of the material.
No automation: only bench tools, precision design, and artisan care. The goal was not mass production, but to build an efficient, durable, and sustainable system that could be assembled and disassembled multiple times without alteration.
Project information
Material: fir, ash, heat-treated ash
Dimensions: 4x3.45 m
Year of construction: 2025
Exhibition: MDW2025, Festivaletteratura2025
Type: Temporary installation not intended for sale
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