ARCHITECTURE

ROOTS & REPOSE

 

Reviving the Culture of Italian Living

 

This project reimagines rural life in Italy by creating a contemporary agrotourism community that blends tradition, hospitality, and sustainability. Anchored in the rich cultural heritage of the Italian countryside, the development features a harmonious arrangement of private villas, communal spaces, local markets, agricultural storage, and leisure areas such as pools and resting pavilions—carefully integrated within the natural landscape.

At the heart of the project lies the revival of convivialità—the Italian way of living rooted in connection, food, and land. The site fosters a shared rhythm of daily life between local residents and visitors. Through participatory farming, seasonal harvests, and open-air workshops, tourists are invited not merely as guests, but as co-inhabitants—working alongside locals in the fields, exchanging knowledge, and engaging with age-old traditions.

Communal courtyards and kitchens serve as spaces of dialogue and celebration, while markets showcase regional produce, crafts, and cuisine. The architecture emphasizes vernacular forms and materials, promoting ecological sensitivity and cultural continuity. Storage and utility structures are seamlessly embedded into the terrain, supporting year-round agricultural activities. The design allows the landscape itself to become a transparent medium—framing different roles and experiences for the local farmer, the guest, and the tourist.

The design encourages shared labor and cultural exchange: tourists work alongside locals in the fields, relax in nature, and gather in open kitchens and courtyards. More than a retreat, the project becomes a living system—reviving the rhythms, relationships, and rituals of the Italian countryside in a way that is both sustainable and immersive.

2025_ Villa Meneghetti_Architectural Study_Competition