CASTLE RESORT

Modular Cabins to accommodate tourism in Italy.

The city of Roccomandolfi, Italy, has the potential to become a major tourist destination for a variety of visitors. It is located in the Isernia province, within reasonable travelling distance of major cities like Rome, Capri, and Foggia. Roccomandolfi is the crown sitting above the fairytale Italian landscape. It is the sole focal point for miles around and acts as the ancient guard overlooking hearth and sky. The once glorious battlegrounds were home to a 360-degree panoramic of bastions and lookouts. The views and positioning of the fortress were so prevailing that the castle was stripped and decommissioned by imperial forces, which believed it to be an asset too strategic for future battles. Only recently has the structure been restored to a glimpse of its original beauty and occupation. The fortress represents the lookout point that once protected its people from an imperial tyranny. Despite the prestige of this Castle, the city of Roccomandolfi has some of the lowest tourist numbers in all of Italy. This disinterest with the area can be attributed to a lack of reasonable accommodations for the tourist population. The Isernian government has come up with a plan to remedy their tourist problem, a global competition. They have commissioned a design/build competition in the search of tourist accommodation facilities. These facilities will take the shape of landscape cabins with an emphasis on sustainable and feasible design. The footprint of these cabins will be minimal and fractal to ensure that the Castle maintains it’s hierarchy. A variety of modular cabins will be introduced to fit the needs of different visitors.

The cabins will be based on 3 modular designs that can be tailored to fit specific needs on the site. These specific site conditions may include: elevation, slope, geological conditions, tree canopy, building footprint, view aspect ratio. These modern satellite structures will have a minimal footprint in the landscape, maintaining the integrity of the existing conditions. The structures will be sheltered in the tree line, preserving the iconic views that should remain safeguarded to preserve the area’s history. The landscape cabins will be subtle, glowing, jewels in the night that illuminate the surrealist condition. They will be somewhat visible from the downhill town of Roccomandolfi, acting as beacons of attraction to the neighboring landscape.