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CASTELLUCCIO SUPERIOREBORGO DELLA SALUTE
Studio Valle Architetti Associati
THE TERRITORY
Castelluccio Superiore, located in the province of Potenza, in the southern region of
Basilicata, is at an altitude of 700 meters above sea level. The town overlooks the expansive
and uncontaminated views of the Mercure river basin, which flows into the Pollino National
Park, located between the regions of Basilicata and Calabria in southern Italy. Its territory
covers an area of 32 square kilometers and is bordered to the north by Latronico, to the
east by Castelluccio Inferiore, to the south by Latino Borgo and to the west by Lauria.
The town can be reached from the Lauria Sud exit of the Salerno-Reggio Calabria motorway
(A2), continuing for a few kilometers along the Calabrian state road 19 (SS 19) and the 46
Peschiera provincial road. The two main airports used to access the area are those of
Lamezia Terme to the south and of Naples to the north, both about a two-hour drive away.
The territory of Castelluccio is located within the confines of the Pollino Natural Park, whose
woods and forests stretch to the limits of the inhabited areas. The territory is rich in springs
and other waterways, such as the Peschiera stream, which was historically used for irrigation
and to operate numerous baronial mills. In nearby Latronico, the ancient Lucanian thermal
baths - whose waters have been renowned since prehistoric times for their therapeutic
virtues - are still in use.
INTRODUCTION
THE TOWN
The origins of the historic city center can be traced back to the late medieval period, as
evidenced by the presence of ruins of the original defensive structure and by the castle from
which the name of the town derives. However, it is possible to trace the town’s origins back
even further, to pre-Roman times. The morphology of the town is strongly influenced by its
development during the Middle Ages and by its topographical characteristics. The altitude
of the village ranges between 650 and 750 meters above sea level, and the mountain slope
on which it is based has lent itself to defining a complex fabric of terraced buildings that
overlook the landscape and have grown through progressive additions.
The inhabited residential area twists and turns steeply upwards, with winding pedestrian
paths and vehicular streets, narrow alleys and passages, and wide open spaces, all
connecting to one specific point in the center of the town: Piazza Plebiscito, whose ancient
fountain once represented an important meeting point for the inhabitants.
THE MISULE
A unique characteristic of the town is its misule, ancient terraces located within the historic
center where medicinal plants, vegetables and legumes were traditionally cultivated.
Cultivation was made possible by an expertise management of the natural spring waters,
which, through canals and artificial ducts, irrigated the misule of the various owners in
strictly prearranged days and times. Even today some veins of water flow, following the
original ancient paths within the town. For centuries, the misule have represented an
important work of hydrogeological preservation on the rocky ridge on which the town
of Castelluccio Superiore has been built, and as such, play a role in preserving local
biodiversity.
After years of considerable depopulation of Castelluccio Superiore and a partial
abandonment of the misule – resulting in the risk of collapse of various structures and
in the significant hydrogeological degradation of the town’s terraced landscape, there
is currently a renewed interest towards this important element of the local heritage,
inspired in large part by the practice now widespread throughout the world of “community
gardens” and urban vegetable gardens. There is particular interest in terms of sustainable
agricultural and tourist development, focused on the production of medicinal plants and
integrated with unique cultural experiences taking place in the Pollino Park.
Thanks to its particular microclimate and its uncontaminated nature, Pollino is the ideal
environment for the growth of medicinal plants. The recognition of the economic potential
of the Park led to the establishment in 2007 of EVRA, a manufacturer of high quality
vegetable extracts from cultivated or spontaneous plant species. With the goal of enhancing
Lucanian (another name to describe anything belonging to the region of Basilicata)
excellence, in 2010 EVRA launched the micro production chain of medicinal plants, in
collaboration with the Lucana Agency for Development and Innovation in Agriculture, for
the identification, protection and certification of biodiversity. EVRA currently collaborates
with over forty farms located within the park for its production processes.
GENERAL PROPOSAL: “IL BORGO DELLA SALUTE”
EVRA represents a virtuous example of the synergy between realizing the agricultural
potential of a territory and exercising productive interests, all within the framework of the
recovery of the land and the wellness opportunities linked to the natural environment. In
this context, the presence of the misule within the historic center, their consolidated link
with the cultivation of medicinal plants, and their curative, healing properties all offer great
potential for growth, all of which makes Castelluccio Superiore the possible fulcrum of a
system of integrated health services.
The compresence of these two realities, one relating to the land and the other to the
entrepreneurial spirit inspired by the land, offers the key to an ecologically sustainable
development, linked to the values and lifestyle of the Mediterranean tradition. This provides
a strong basis on which to create a compelling wellness tourism offering, capable of
distinguishing itself from the other generic wellness offers already present within the area.
The plan is to create a network of services within the village, conceived as an implementation
and operational arm of FRAME, the EVRA project dedicated to anti-aging treatments.
Structured in the form of orientation and training centers, laboratories, clinics, counseling
and treatment centers, the system will focus in particular on diagnostic and therapeutic
activities linked to natural, phyto-therapeutic treatments and regimens, to be implemented
as a supplement to the Mediterranean diet.
The ultimate goal is to create a Borgo della Salute, or rather, a health village, a composite
structure capable of delivering a complete range of services aimed at preventing chronic
diseases, improving health, delaying aging processes and increasing both the quality and
longevity of life.
The strengths of the region, ranging from the land itself to the historical building heritage,
and from the richness of the natural resources to the quality of the spring waters and
the presence of the misule, can be harnessed and integrated in order to define a holistic
offering of physical and mental regeneration.
THE TOURIST OFFERING
In a broader context, the village will be the center of a territorial network capable of involving
public and private entities. It will be the focal point that connects the various touristic,
nature-oriented, agricultural and food businesses present in the territory, expanding and
integrating the region’s rich wellness offering – for example, the Latronico Thermal Baths,
the hiking and sports offered in the Pollino Park (such as rafting, trekking, biking, and
paragliding) and the cultivation of medicinal plants, among other activities.
In this way, a complete and differentiated structure is set up, able to calibrate its offering
based on the needs of the clientele, in terms of duration, treatments and costs, and
structured to satisfy diverse wellness needs. With an anti-ageing approach and a focus
on the principles of integrated healing using nutraceuticals, the offers can range from a
vacation based on simple relaxation, to one with depurative or anti-aging treatments, all
the way to retreats for post-surgery or post-trauma recovery.
THE DIFFUSED HOTEL
To support the Borgo della Salute, a flexible hospitality offer will be developed, able to
adapt to different requests for accommodation and to different user groups more effectively
than the traditional hotel. The demographic decrease that in recent decades has greatly
depopulated the town, leaving a large number of empty or abandoned buildings, can now
become a potential for the restoration of the village through purposeful, respectful, and
targeted interventions.
As a reference point, one could use the model of a “diffused hotel,” whose goal would be
to restore and maintain the artistic and cultural heritage of the village and also increase
employment and income levels of inhabitants, without “contaminating” its culture, environment,
and identity, but rather, allowing for development that has minimum environmental impact
and is capable of restoring already-existing structures.
The diffused hotel can also have the role of cultural and economic “host” of the historic
centers, particularly in small cities, using the “reception” also as an “information office”
and facilitating the return and re-establishment of various dynamics relating to residential,
commercial and artisan activities within the community and ecosystem of the village.
This model, due to its intrinsic characteristics of flexibility and adaptability to local contexts,
can progressively expand even beyond the boundaries of the municipality of Castelluccio,
involving neighboring towns in a wide-ranging project of establishing the infrastructure and
receptivity necessary for integrating and supporting the existing tourist services.
traditional hotel diffused hotel
To pursue the objectives indicated so far, a series of specific interventions will be carried
out on a territorial, urban and building scale:
ACTIONS ON THE LAND
• Mapping, gradual arrangement and / or restructuring (in phases), promotion of bicycle/
pedestrian/vehicle paths aimed at getting to know the area; they will connect the farms
that cultivate the medicinal plants, combining the knowledge of the territory with that of
the crops related to health and wellness.
• Crop arrangement with access routes for visitors supported by information signs. The
routes can be promoted with seasonal variations linked to the different timing of the
crops and the colors of the natural landscape.
• Creation of a refreshment point (a lightweight kiosk-stand type structure) located at the
farms to promote the awareness and sale of natural products.
• Gradual redevelopment (in phases) of the production centers linked to the transformation
of medicinal plants, according to the concept of the “green factory,” through landscape-
THEMES AND STRATEGIES FOR THE CREATION OF THE BORGO DELLA SALUTE
environmental arrangements of open spaces, service and building areas aimed at
integration within the landscape.
• Mapping, gradual arrangement and/or restructuring (in phases), and promotion of
services related to health care in Castelluccio. Involvement of owner-managers in
promotion incentives (for example through the European program).
• Creation, incentivizing, and promotion of a transport network that makes the Borgo
della Salute accessible from nearby airports, stations, or other tourist resorts on the
coast, and connects the network of services in the area: agreement with the public
transport company operating in the territory and/or with the Italian Railway Service,
creation of a tourist flight service in the territory, shuttle services, etc.
ACTIONS ON THE HISTORIC CENTER
• Identification of a series of outdoor spaces (streets, squares, parking lots and
private courtyards) to be integrated with natural/ecological landscape materials
and interventions aimed at transforming urban greenery into a showcase for the
promotion of medicinal products. Pedestrian surfaces and “street furniture” will be
integrated with landscaping.
• Identification of a series of buildings / residences and, after a restructuring phase,
putting them into service as a diffused hotel serving the Borgo della Salute. They can
be individual buildings or courtyards with multiple houses, urban blocks configured
as mini-settlements (with possible growth over time). These residences can offer not
only typical accommodation but also be equipped with hospital services (such as in
the case of assisted living). The goal is to enhance the rural and urban architecture
of the village. The offering of the diffused hotel must be integrated with the dwellings
of local residents and other activities (businesses and artisan activities, etc.) already
existing in the buildings, in order to promote interaction between the population and
visitors. The building works can be promoted with incentives to individuals through
contributions, shared rents, an information network of the services of the diffused
hotel and the creation of a housekeeping/cleaning service.
• Identification of an existing building within the historic center to be transformed and
used as an Information Center for activities promoted by the Borgo della Salute. It
includes a multi-purpose hall for conferences and exhibitions, a library, offices and
service desks, and potentially laboratories and clinics.
• Identification of an existing building to be transformed into a Research Center and
Outpatient Department (if separate from the Information Center) or an existing health
facility to be redeveloped or integrated. This structure can be found in the historic
center or in the surrounding area.
• Identification of existing artisan laboratories in the historic center and proposal of a
program for their gradual accommodation and / or restructuring. They will be merged
with the Borgo della Salute activities to promote an integrated work fabric that restores
and maintains traditional crafts.
• Mapping, gradual refurbishment and / or restructuring (in phases), and promotion
of landscape paths within the misule, aimed at the knowledge and promotion of the
medicinal plants and local crops.
• Mapping, gradual arrangement and / or restructuring (in phases), and promotion
of the spring water system within the village; the resource can be enhanced by
restoring traditional irrigation systems (also for educational / illustrative purposes) in
a wellness or recreational perspective (outdoor pools, hydrotherapy).
ACTIONS ON BUILDINGS IN THE HISTORIC CENTER
• Identification of ecological and light construction techniques to be applied as a
standard for the renovation of buildings in Castelluccio (e.g. wooden frame, Xlamm,
monolithic brick wall, lightly reinforced wall made of wood-cement blocks, etc.). The
“diffused hotel building site” can be promoted thanks to the identification of one or
more local building contractors that offer building works with light, natural materials
(prefabricated) at a cost that can be controlled and integrated with public contribution,
allowing a unitary management of the urban renovation that is distributed over time.
Businesses can be supported by a network of local designers who apply shared
technologies and offer consulting/design services at controlled costs.
• Identification of a series of dimensional and functional standards to be applied in
renovation interventions (service modules, kitchens, hotel-type rooms, hospital-type
rooms, office-type rooms) with the development of a “Borgo della Salute Environment
Manual” to be offered to real estate operators. This will allow the transformation over
time and the functional modification of the interventions, guaranteeing a more flexible
use and the generation of income coming from the renovated buildings, which will be
open to different types of investors.
• Identification of an abacus of building finishes for the historic center (to be agreed
upon with the Municipality) that uses traditional materials and regulates exterior
finishes.
• Identification of ecological construction techniques to be applied as a standard for the
creation of temporary or semi-permanent structures to be located within the misule
and designed for temporary events, seasonal uses, etc.
ACTIONS ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE HISTORIC CENTER
• Organization and promotion of an annual (or seasonal) environmental art festival (or
landscape design) that incorporates medicinal plants or local materials, which will
distinguish the village and enrich the landscape. The interventions can be temporary or
permanent, enriching the environment from year to year and progressively becoming a
sort of Environmental Art Park.
• Organization and promotion of conferences and courses aimed at the knowledge of
local medicinal plants and related healing therapies (Botanicum) to promote the image
of Castelluccio as the ideal venue for meetings and conferences on the subject.
Studio Valle Architetti Associati
headquarters udinepiazza 1° maggio 13 I 33100 udine I italy
T +39 0432 504022/297961 F +-39 0432 508242
milan seat via aurelio saffi 10 I 20123 milano I italy
T +39 02 [email protected]
www.architettivalle.net