Carlo Ratti's 'Objectify' series spotlights the Microlino electric car

Carlo Ratti has launched a summer series called 'Objectify' for Wallpaper*, exploring Italy through everyday objects. The second episode highlights the Microlino, an electric car that's just 2.5 meters long, 1.5 meters wide, and weighs under 500 kg. Built in Turin by Cecomp, it only occupies a third of a standard parking space. The Ouboter family from Switzerland came up with the idea, while Italian firm Icona designed it. The Microlino's roots trace back to the BMW Isetta, which was originally designed in Italy and licensed to Germany in 1955. Ratti likens it to SUVs, calling it the 'Ozempic of the automobile' for its traffic-relief potential, referencing his research showing shared autonomous vehicles could reduce parking needs by over 70% in cities like Singapore. The series aims to highlight overlooked Italian designs, inspired by Proust's madeleine concept. Ratti leads the Senseable City Lab at MIT, teaches at Politecnico di Milano, and directed the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale.