Castello Di Gargonza

This is an excerpt from Biophilic Urbanism: Designing Resilient Communities for the Future by Dr. Phillip James Tabb. Published by Routledge Press 2021.

Background and History

About 16 miles (25 kilometers) from Cortona, Italy as the crow flies, and a great deal further by car, is the little borgo of Gargonza, just up the secluded Apennine hill from Monte San Savino. More as a castle whose walls contain a perfectly preserved 13th-century hamlet, Castello di Gargonza is a 1,235-acre (500-hectare) estate that has a dominating prospect above the Val di Chiana from the center of its wooded site. It was known as an agricultural community dedicated to cultivating the forest as well as wool production. Later it became a share-croppers' farm with 33 farmers' homes. It was also an outpost settlement a day's horseback ride from Siena. The hamlet had a parish church, school, olive oil mill, stables, and bread ovens. It is reported that due to a shift in power Dante Alighieri and other Florentine exiles fled to the hamlet in about 1302 in the wake of the trouble between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines. The village proper is surrounded by tapered stone walls and cypress trees.

By 1972, the castle had fallen to decay and was abandoned. It was restored. by Conte Roberto Guicciardini Corsi Salviati with sensitivity toward retaining its original character and integrity. It was no longer a community of farmers, but rather a "community of travelers." It was revitalized into a destination hospital- ity resort and corporate retreat that benefits from biophilic design attributes. Gargonza receives 1,800 visitors annually. The 23 tiny cell-like peasants' cottages can accommodate 80 guests, while the small inn holds another 14. The cottages and inn have now been converted into self-catering retreats and accommodate conference guests. The climate of Castello di Gargonza is temperate; tempera- tures are mild, typically not exceeding 85 °F, and rarely fall below freezing.

Castello di Gargonza offers a swimming pool, a restaurant, and meeting rooms. They have skillfully featured and maintained the authentic character of the original antique village. Even today, the village residences consist of apart- ments, bed and breakfasts, and conference facilities equipped with comforts of medium- and high-level tourist facilities. They are also connected to the circuit of historical-tourist brands of Europe. The village homes maintain the names of the original inhabitants: Fattore, Niccolina the seamstress, and Celso the gamekeeper. The restaurant is located just outside the Gargonza village walls, near the swimming pool. Its location has views of Gargonza's woods and Val di Chiana. Surrounding the castle are walking paths and bicycle trails. The aerial photograph in Figure 3.1 shows the coherent village form within its wooded site. The hamlet of Gargonza is completely car-free. Though vehicles are able to drive around the exterior of the outside walls to the main entrance for deliveries and drop-off, there are only stone and gravel footpaths inside. The central plaza is located near the northeast boundary wall and is defined by the Romanesque church of St. Tiburzio and Susanna, the castle tower, the hotel reception, and several of the attached cottages. In the center of the plaza is a small village green with stone pavers in it and surrounding a stone well. Spread throughout the vil- lage are gardens, stands of cypress trees, and green areas. There is a vegetable garden along the southeastern edge within the fortified walls, and stands of cypress trees line the southwestern side of the village. While the center of the village is quite dense, the village is generally punctuated by many varying green areas, and open spaces. Refer to Figure 3.2 for the center well below the tower. The La Torre di Gargonza Restaurant is the crown jewel of Castello di Gargonza, open for guests of the bed and breakfast, Castello's vacation apart- ments, and external clients. It is family-owned and located within a separate building outside of the fortified hamlet, affording easy access to service vehicles and to visitors who only want to dine at the restaurant. The stone and wood interior has a high vaulted ceiling and the dining areas are surrounded by large windows with commanding views of the surrounding forests and hills. There is a large protected terrace that accommodates up to 170 guests and boasts breathtaking views that are framed by the cypress trees. The menu consists of authentic traditional Tuscan cuisine and local wines.

In their book Chambers for a Memory Palace, architects Donlyn Lyndon and Charles Moore developed a series of what they called thoughtful architectural devices that contributed to a place's memorable qualities. They both had visited Gargonza multiple times and were familiar with its charm. These devices or themes were remarkably similar to many of the biophilic pattern attributes. In describing Gargonza they explain that the tower "takes claim to the surroundings," that the outer stone walls "circumscribe and define the territory,” and that there is a "straight- arrow vista" from the plaza east to the Val di Chiana. Their themes included:

Axes that reach - Axes reach across space to connect or draw together important points within a place.
Orchards that measure - Orchards represent orderly rows of trees, which modulate a field of space.
Platforms that separate - Platforms form a stage, which is a space apart from a larger place.
Borders that control - Borders distinguish inside from outside and make clear where we are and dwell.
Openings that frame - Openings, which include passages, doorways, and gates, cultivate expectations of the places that lie beyond.
Roofs that encompass , shed and keep the weather away, but also reflect the heavens and tell us how big the place is.
Markers that command - Monuments, towers, obelisks, pyramids, and the like command attention and mark a center.
Light that plays - space and form are understood in light, which clarifies them.

In the center, there are seven what they call function rooms of varying sizes from 350 to 1,668 square feet (32 to 155 square meters) that host weddings, confer- ences, and other business or social gatherings. Originally these spaces were used

as an olive mill, cellars, and stables for animals. The 23 cottages are small and vary in configuration as they were constructed organically throughout the hamlet. Today, the cottages are fully equipped with linens, blankets, towels and dishes, and open stone fireplaces. There are no dishwashers, but there is an array of culi- nary equipment, enough to prepare espressos and pasta and other typical meals. Walls are whitewashed plaster, floors are terracotta-tiled, and ceilings are typically exposed hewn chestnut rafters and wood decking. The exterior facades have been kept intact, as have the interiors. Cottages vary in size somewhat, from one and two bedrooms to four bedrooms. The country house just outside the walls can accom- modate ten guests. From a biophilic point of view the cottages are perfect refuges, made from natural materials, having indoor-outdoor spaces, and being humanly scaled and near gardens. While the cottages do not have televisions, they do have Wi-Fi and are pet friendly. Refer to Figure 3.3 for images that depict the character and scale of the cottages. Castello di Gargonza is a good example of biophilic urban- ism because it is engulfed in nature: it is completely surrounded by the commanding estate, and the nooks and crannies of its urban structure are infused with nature.

Analysis of the Masterplan

Castello di Gargonza is accessed by a single road that winds through the forest, arriving at the parking lot, drop-off, restaurant, and recreational facilities. Stone walking paths circumambulate the tapered foundation walls, which in some places are two or more stories in height. The main gate and entranceway are located on the northern side of the walled-in enclosure. The entrance leads to a small plaza and village green with a well in the center. These are beneath the overwatch of the crenellated castle tower. The center of the village is eccentrically nucleated and located near the northern end of the hamlet. It is organized by a cobblestone rec- tangular grid that fragments at the perimeter allowing for a more informal serrated geometry producing intimate private terraces, courtyards, and gardens. The fortified hamlet is rather small, measuring approximately 315 by 415 feet (96 x 126 meters), and its egg- or heart-shaped form encompasses nearly 3 acres (1.2 hectares) of land within the overall forested estate. With 23 cottages, the density equates to approximately 7 du per acre (17.5 du/ha). There is a patchwork of greenery and gardens, while the perimeter is generally filed with trees and gardens. Buildings occupy only the north and northwest sides of the perimeter. From behind the boundary walls are clear views to the east and to the valley below. Refer to Figure 3.4 for an analysis of the estate and hamlet masterplan.

Primary Pattern Attributes

Since the fortified hamlet is small, it is easy to find the close-knit integration of many biophilic pattern attributes. They are completely encompassing and permeate within the site. Castello di Gargonza is a destination upon a hill sur- rounded by forests and has direct access to nature. There is a powerful sense of place due this hilltop location and the strong defining form of the castle walls. Castello di Gargonza integrates most of the archetypal placemaking charac- teristics, such as an identifiable center, differentiated boundary, clear internal spatial order, the vertical placemarker of the tower's rise, the groundedness provided by the stone tapered foundation's retaining walls, directional and pros- pect views, and the many nature elements within. A primary objective of a hospitality destination like Castello di Gargonza is to support health and well- ness outcomes in intimate, sustainable, and environmentally conscious ways. Because Gargonza is a community of travelers and hosts so many weddings, it is an indication of the numinous at play. An outline of many of the biophilic pattern attributes follows:

The plant world within a forest (cypresses, olive trees, fig trees, holm oaks) and gardens.
The cottages and hamlet are pet-friendly, woods have deer, wild boar, pheasants, local birds, and there is horseback riding nearby.
Plentiful views and vistas of nature and dominant view of the Val di Chiana
to the east.
Sensory connections (gardens and restaurant).
Wood-burning fireplaces within cottages.
Earth is represented by all the stone and particularly the tapered boundary walls.
Isolated location affords access to fresh air (car-free environment).
Integrated water features (center well)
Prospect is to Val di Chiana and refuge within the medieval walls and cottages.
Encouraging indoor-outdoor activities, outdoor rooms, patios, balconies. Spatial structure is contained and fortified, with an internal rectangular grid. Eccentric centering occurs with the main plaza, chapel, and tower. Bounding characteristics are strong, with the completely surrounding forti- fied medieval stone wall.
The fortified hamlet is oriented to the east toward views of the Val di Chiana. The topography slopes downhill around castle walls, with flat terrain within the walls.
Native natural materials (stone, brick, stucco, chestnut wood, tile).
Form language is medieval with touches of the newly acquired contemporary, and it is highly integrated and place-oriented.
Community and work-related (conference center) cultural and social activities.
Integration of art and woodcraft, artists in residency program, and the eccle- siastical artwork found within the chapel.
Exposure to living color in flowering plants, and in the natural colors of wood, stone, and clay tile.
Experience of four seasonal transformations.
Experience of light in all forms.
Potential for numinous experiences through nature, dining, or social events. The cottage placements offer ample social distancing and access to nature.

Positive Outcomes

Climate neutrality is supported by the pedestrianization of the village even though there is only automobile and bus access to the site. Because of the large number of trees, carbon sequestering is abundant. Sustainability is difficult to achieve in older, historic structures, but renovations have tightened up the cot- tages, reducing energy demands for heating. Embodied energy and resources were reduced by preserving the existing structures. Pedestrianization is another sustainability measure, even though it was originally planned that way. Once you arrive at Gargonza, there is no need to use the car because everything is within walking distance. Placemaking is a major feature of the village, sup- ported by its fortification, materiality, history, and human scale. It has a strong center and boundary, and there is a powerful sense of place. Health and well- ness outcomes are plentiful, which is often characteristic of hospitality places. Because hospitality places are comforting, bright, elegant, and personal, stress reduction, improved productivity, increased energy and creativity, and improved cognitive abilities are common outcomes. The first component of the health- scapes model includes the environmental dimensions that serve as the stimuli for generating customer responses, and this is certainly present at Gargonza.9 The inclusion of fresh, wholesome food also contributes to positive health and wellness outcomes. The opportunity for numinous experiences is also present through weddings, social gatherings, and church services, the calm of the natural environment, and the cuisine. The atmosphere is quietly inspiring. The flickering lights from across the valley, within the forest, and toward the clear night sky are numinous. Figure 3.5 shows the richness of the lemon tree garden. The primary contribution to biophilic urbanism is Gargonza's complete form and placemaking characteristics, with clear center, boundary, internal spatial order, prospect and refuge, and involvement with nature.