SIX QUICK ONES WITH ISLA ARCHITECTS
We first discovered Isla Architects through their Loggia Baseliana Pavilion in Münchenstein, Basel. Designed as an open linear structure, part corridor and part veranda, it is built entirely from reused elements arranged with striking clarity. The pavilion’s calm geometry, rhythmic structure and use of light left a lasting impression on us.
We have followed the work of Marta Colón & Juan Palencia and their studio ever since. Based in Palma de Mallorca, Isla Architects explores architecture that is precise, grounded and quietly expressive. We wanted to learn more about the duo and the ideas behind the practice and recently had the chance to ask them our six essential questions.
Fantastic Frank: Hey guys, what a pleasure to finally speak to you. First of all, please define your style of work!
Marta Colón & Juan Palencia: We work with a contextual approach, which means we begin each project by deeply understanding the place and its broader context: the landscape, the people, the client, the cultural layers, the briefing, and the knowledge of every agent involved in the process. Rather than pursuing a predefined aesthetic, we focus on revealing the potential of what is already there. By acknowledging the craftsmanship and intelligence of those who came before, we aim to craft radically contemporary responses that are always appropriate and specific to their environment.
Your dream house or apartment (or other item) to design? Or maybe you already did?
We like to think that our dream project is always the next one, but if we had to choose one we’re especially proud of, it would be the Fénix Apartment.
This project is a meticulous renovation within the iconic Fénix building in Palma, a mid-century gem by Madrid architect Luis Gutiérrez Soto. Originally designed as part of a modernist trio of aparthotels, including the Meliá Victoria and Lux apartments, the Fénix features a Y-shaped layout that maximizes sea views and embraces a tropical garden and pool by Nicolau Maria Rubió i Tudurí.
Converted into private residences in the 1970s, the apartment still retained its original hotel layout when commissioned. The renovation responds intimately to the lives of its new inhabitants, a sailor and a translator, centering on an evocative piece of furniture reminiscent of a grounded sailboat. This multifunctional element serves as a bookshelf and spatial organizer, freeing the apartment to open fluidly toward the sea-facing terrace and the quiet rear courtyard.
The result is a precise and clear spatial composition, where every detail is intentional, and the living experience is both seamless and extraordinary.
Your current favorite restaurant (on Mallorca or somewhere else in the world)?
Unfortunately, some places we loved have recently closed: La Mirona in Palma, Cas Batle Negre in Banyalbufar, and Montimar in Estellencs (editor's note: might still be open?). These were the kind of places where you felt at home, where it didn’t matter what you ordered because you knew you were going to have a good time. We still have a few spots left that we hope never change, like Can Paco in Banyalbufar. It’s a very traditional place where we don’t have to overthink anything, it’s like eating with family. Everything is good, generous, and somehow always epic.
Your favorite app?
We’re surrounded by apps… but to be honest, we’d rather take a good book with us, architecture or not.
Maybe something by Stefan Zweig, like Decisive Moments in History, a book we can read over and over for its ability to capture the fragile, pivotal instants that shape entire eras.
Or one of Marta’s mother’s editions, like the most recent one, Of Monkey and Men: a brilliant, tender reflection on what defines us as humans, told with both humor and depth.
Your favorite building in Europe?
The Ricola storage building by Herzog & de Meuron (1987). It’s an industrial structure, apparently basic, but through a series of thoughtful decisions, it becomes sublime. A perfect example of how architecture can elevate the ordinary into something unique.
Your one piece of furniture you take with you on every move?
Furniture pieces: chairs, lamps, carpets. They’re the quiet essentials that make any place feel like home. For us, it’s really about the collection we’ve built over time. From Madrid to Paris, Basel, Banyalbufar or Palma, each place we’ve lived in has added something to that evolving landscape: different lamps by Corbu, Muller Van Severen, Noguchi or Chamusquina; chairs from Thonet, Eames, Tapiovaara and traditional designs; many of them treasures found in flea markets.
And our latest low table brings it all together: soft, rounded edges for our little one and his friends, and distinct sides for each of us, a quiet reflection of how we live, together. These pieces have followed us, shaped our routines, and slowly formed the atmosphere we now call home.
Dear Marta and Juan, it was a real pleasure to hear your thoughts and we look forward to seeing more of your remarkable work in the near future. Hopefully there will be a chance to collaborate on a project one day.
Images by Luis Díaz Díaz
Portrait by Elena Rotger