My story
This place and these dwellings, inspired by the Genius Loci of this ancient land, captivated me so deeply when I first saw them that it felt almost like a calling.
The residential complex consists of three self-contained units, plus a ground-floor annexe, covering a total area of approximately 300 square metres. A 17th-century trullo is flanked by two farmhouses: one dating from the 19th century, built of stone in the Romanesque style, and another, rebuilt on a 19th-century foundation, constructed of stone, glass and wood.
I personally designed and oversaw The Vestal, a project of restoration and conservation, drawing on my experience as an architect: the careful recovery of original materials and the use of ancient building techniques by skilled local craftsmen, the ‘maestri trullari’, have created spaces imbued with beauty and charm, equipped with the highest level of comfort that technology can offer.
All the properties are equipped with state-of-the-art systems, skilfully concealed beneath the stonework through a painstaking process of “unstitch and sew”.
Extensive lighting, irrigation and home automation systems have been installed throughout the park’s vast grounds. There is also a patio of approximately 300 square metres, fully paved with original Trani chianche, planted with olive trees and illuminated by lanterns and Led lights. All the windows and doors have been completely refurbished using seasoned timber, featuring traditional-style shutters and windows with internal shutters, fitted with double glazing and in compliance with energy-saving regulations.
Following the lengthy process of philological restoration, I am delighted to say that Masseria Genius Loci Dimore is a masseria that welcomes rather than excludes: certainly more inclusive than exclusive! Its residences, set amidst a park of ancient olive trees and Mediterranean scrub, retain an ‘ancient matriarchal beauty’—unostentatious, unadorned and unrenewed, yet inherently captivating.
My mission
My aim has simply been, not as an architect, but as a man of this land, to ‘unveil’ that ancient, simple genius which our ancestors, in the essence of building, knew how to create and pass down to future generations.
My fundamental mission is for this place to become an oasis of peace and refreshment for my guests, to soothe the soul from the passions and upheavals of everyday life.
