A L B E R G O D I F F U S O

Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita

MATERA

www.sextantio.it

CONSERVING ABANDONED HISTORIC APENNINE VILLAGES; AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECTS AT SANTO STEFANO DI SESSANIO AND THE SASSI DI MATERA.

The Santo Stefano di Sessanio project - and similar ones

planned for other abandoned historic villages in our

mountains - is part of a radical and far sighted plan to

preserve a local heritage.

The term “traditional architectural heritage” is used here

to describe a vernacular architecture which developed to

sustain the needs of the people, as opposed to the “noble”

buildings in the urban centres of power and wealth.

This traditional heritage was not developed via a top-down

cultural influence, interpreted by architects, but rather

from a particular social setting - with its roots indelibly

linked to the history of the rural area.

But why does this architecture have such a unique

A L B E R G O D I F F U S O

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relationship with the landscape?

Firstly, for practical reasons. Poverty meant that local

materials had to be used - this defined the way the buildings

were constructed.

But the reasons for this ancient relationship between the

landscape and architecture can be understood on a more

profound level.

The rural towns and villages of the Mediterranean mountains

were, for the most part, been on the margins of the post-

war economic boom. The local people, with their ancient

cultural roots, have resisted the overtures of the modern

world.

In light of these circumstances, we are developing a model

to conserve and renovate these historic villages, many of

which have are empty or semi-abandoned. Our model for

preserving this heritage involves a partnership between

private investment and local government.

We have set out basic guidelines for this project.

Our basic position is that strict rules should be put in

place to protect the historic architecture. We advocate

zero-tolerance towards any new building that interrupts

the integrity of the landscape and its urban centres.

Our reasons for taking such a position are simple. The

relationship between the historic buildings, with their

castellated hill-top settings developed during the medieval 02

period. Post-war compromises, and materials used in recent

urban construction are incompatible with this historic

landscape.

We believe that our economic model for the conservation

of this landscape is the only workable plan for an area

suffering from poverty and abandonment.

But there are cultural and political issues that need

to be resolved when putting into place our system of

conservation. In central-southern Italy, the historic hill

town has never been the subject of a clearly articulated

strategy for conservation. It was always too remote from

the great urban, classical cultural heritage.

So it is important to create a framework for the preservation

of this traditional architectural heritage. This framework

is underpinned by two main concepts:

• Creation and enforcement of conservation areas in

the abandoned historic hill towns and the surrounding

landscape. Putting in place and enforcing building

regulations which are strictly in keeping with the existing

historic architecture.

• Creation of new economic activity in these areas via

conservation projects delivered on time.

With regard to the involvement of private finance, we have

set out the following guidelines, which we believe can be

implemented and integrated within the framework of public

legislation.

1. Maintaining the original use, form and materials of the

building.

2. All the architectural fittings used to replace those

which have been lost are sourced from the local area.

The difference between classical restoration and this

vernacular conservation, is that much architectural

salvage is interchangeable between locations.

3. Our approach to conservation includes the retention

of traces of life found in the fabric of the building - symbols

of the lives of the people. In many restorations they are

covered up or removed, but for us they are part of the

history of a village.

4. Furnishing in keeping with the rural historic traditions;

from the beds, to the linen which covers them (created by

artisans in local style and colour). To make sure that we

are following original traditions, we have researched and

authenticated furnishings with the Museum of the People of

Abruzzo.

Where we need to recreate elements which are no longer

present - from bedside tables to towels – rather than

introduce new design elements, we will use local materials,

which reflect the colour, texture and scents identified with 03

the local area.

With a heritage that developed though time but without any

formal style, modern additions which are not in harmony with

the original architecture and materials create discord.

Where elements need to be added to allow modern living

– such as bathrooms, which did not exist in the original

structures – we feel a minimalist design is best suited. The

simple formal elegance of modern design (such as a Stark

bathtub) will not clash with the original historic context.

In brief, the underlying philosophy is to not betray the

‘soul’ of the building.

Our solution to preserving the buildings is extremely

conservative. It is a response to the original historic

elements, where new circumstances have demanded solutions

that do not betray the original architecture. Our signature

style is the re-use of original materials salvaged from the

local area.

We respect the symbolic identity of the buildings. In the

Abruzzo mountains the peasant life was had its own intimate

poetry. The interiors of the buildings, for all their poverty,

had a welcoming feel; the friendly hearth at the heart of

the house.

One of the principal aims of our conservation is to maintain

this sense of welcome, but without sentimentalising the 04

symbols of poverty, or creating a ‘peasant theme park’.

The most vital aspect of the conservation of this rural

heritage is the prevention of the construction of new

buildings – sustaining the relationship between the historic

architecture and the landscape. It is imperative that new

legislation is put in place to stop new construction.

Unfortunately during in the last fifty years, nearly all

the historic hill towns of the region have been the victims

of new building, much of which imports styles alien to the

traditional local architecture – typically Swiss style,

Tyrolean villas.

The identity our landscape needs to be protected against the

irreversible invasion of globalized tourism and unfettered

development. The conservation of our territory should be a

political objective. It is in our collective interest to preserve

our heritage without compromise, for the generations to

come.

THE SASSI OF MATERA PROJECT

I would like to outline the differences and similarities

between the Santo Stefano and Sassi of Matera projects.

To conserve the Sassi (caves) in the Matera project, we had

the following objectives.

1. Use of original architectural materials.

2. Disguising the use of modern technology.

3. Minimalist new design elements, introduced only where

absolutely necessary.

For a number of reasons, the project in Matera is profoundly

different to that at Santo Stefano.

The Sassi (caves) of Matera have a unique architecture,

which defined this conservation project.

The Sassi (caves) have a unique human history, which is more

complicated than the Mountain villages of the Apennines.

This story goes back to pre-history, and later Cenobite

monastic orders living alongside the rural community.

Another consideration is that the interiors of the Sassi

have very basic decorations, much simpler than the hill-top

towns. The living conditions in the Sassi were very basic -

well described in Carlo Levi’s seminal book, Christ Stopped

at Eboli. In practice, many caves were simply for sleeping in

- the warm climate encouraged an outdoor life. Much more

attention was paid to external architecture.

These factors meant that our approach to conserving the

interiors would involve a minimalist approach, using plain 05

furnishing.

Often the furniture has been built into the structure to

maintain a continuity of form and function with the original

building. Given the irregular surfaces, if we introduced

free standing furniture it would be unstable, and feel out

of context.

Our objective was to make the minimum intervention to

the interior, letting the cave interior express itself - so

lights were hidden (they were made into features, at Santo

Stefano).

Where needed, and with reference to the lives once lived in

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these caves, we used recycled materials to build furniture

(cupboards, chairs, desks). Our aim was that the simplicity

of form, fusing with the structure, would not interrupt the

dramatic setting of the Sassi. We wanted our changes to

form a dialogue with the cityscape and its history.

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A L B E R G O D I F F U S O

Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita

www.sextantio.itMATERA