welcome to Tufillo

we re-inhabit small hamlets, we strengthen territories

In Tufillo, a small village perched on a hill on the border between Abruzzo and Molise, we were given an ancient stone building inserted in the narrow "spine" of the historic center. The town, in constant demographic decline since the 1950s, has paid the transition from an agro-pastoral economy to an industrial one, gradually depopulating reaching less than 400 inhabitants today. HELP therefore sets itself the goal of creating new spaces available for new activities and new inhabitants. By doing so HELP wants to favor resettlement in the area to strength the local economic and social fabric.
14.62716, 41.914833

Italy

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Abruzzo

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Tufillo (CH)


the context

Coming from the Adriatic Sea, following the river Trigno, we will find a constellation of small hamlets nested a the top of steep slopes. The frenzy, the noise and the arid concrete of the cost are gradually replaced with cultivated lands on rolling hills decorated with gorse. Later substitute by bushes and then a dense forest of willow trees, holm oak and poplar trees. To animate this natural frame a vast variety of wild life and the smiles of the inhabitants of these communities. These people, being very fond of their land, did not emigrate and decided to safeguard their cultural heritage. An heritage so diverse that each village has its own uniqueness.
Tufillo can be found on a hill of about 550m oh height. Struggling to stay alive against a gradual depopulation, Tufillo is now scene of experiments of alternative life styles and integration between old and new citizens. A theatre where innovation and traditions combine.

state of the art

The structure has a good general condition and sufficient volume to hypothesize its transformation. It was entirely built in stone and wood with traditional construction techniques, the perimeter walls are solid and without injuries, the openings are very small and the light penetrates with difficulty in some parts of the volume. The heights of the floors are variable and the entrance doors are also very low so that they do not fit modern standards.
The wooden lintels are deteriorate, the hydraulic and electrical systems are totally absent and the connections to the electricity network, the aqueduct and the sewage system are to be done. Over the years the roof has suffered injuries and a local subsidence has caused the breakdown of part of the false ceiling in reeds and lime on the first floor.

the project

The goal of the project is to transform this old house into’an ecological and comfortable home. Spaces are tiny so we have to exploit every cm available. To do so the stairs will have the minimum possible footprint but also they will host part of the house appliances and storage. The other measures will be driven by the wish to enhance natural light intake and thermal performances of the building so to better the livability of these spaces and reduce the envrionmental impacts. The roof has collapsed so it will be completely replaced by a light non-pushing structure that won't burden the stone walls. All the materials legally reusable will be reused for the same purpose, like the roof tiles, or in other forms, like the wood beams that cannot be reinstalled.
1st floor

bedroom


bedroom

1st floor

studio


small studio

ground floor

kitchen


living area with kitchen and bathroom