Airbnb starts work on Italian Villages community project
Italy: Airbnb has commenced work on a communal village initiative, “Italian Villages” project, which is aimed at promoting 40 villages across Italy and redeveloping historic public buildings.
The scheme is a collaboration between Airbnb and MiBACT [which is sponsored by ANCI], which is working across the villages of Sambuca di Sicilia, Civita di Bagnoregio, Lavenone and Civitacamporano in Southern Italy.
In the hillside village of Civitacampomarano, which has 386 inhabitants, the former home of Italian politician and illuminist, Vincenzo Cuoco, is being transformed into a new artist’s rental house to join the Italian Villages project. Airbnb has entrusted Eligo Studio to design Casa Cuoco, and artist Lorenzo Vitturi to create a site-specific photographic triptych to bring it to life.
Each residence is being provided by the municipalities themselves and is run by the mayors or associations that act as the hosts. All of the profits are to be reinvested back into the community and Airbnb says it does not take its normal commission.
Eligo Studio has created a monochromatic theme with shades of powder pink, gray, and blue to feel like a loft with open spaces. It has also partnered with brands including Smeg [for appliances], Vitra for [seating at the dining table] and Foscarini [for lighting].
Vitturi’s work is based on a book by Cuoco, who originally lived at the house. There, he collected local stones and abandoned elements and forged a totem, before photographing them and changing the colour to blue for the final works for further embellishment.
Casa Cuoco will be available for bookings on Airbnb from the start of January 2020.
