Abstract
Nestled in the Fasano countryside, among centuries-old olive trees, cultivated gardens and the distant silhouette of the Adriatic, Masseria Ficazzella is the outcome of a restoration and transformation project that redefines the concept of contemporary rural living. Conceived by Valari Studio, the project reinterprets a historic Puglian farmhouse as a private residence designed for a young, non-Italian family — one where architectural authenticity, domestic comfort and a dialogue with the landscape coexist in a measured balance.
Far from nostalgic or vernacular gestures, the intervention aims instead to breathe new life into the building through an essential, contemporary language, grounded in spatial continuity, the enhancement of existing fabric, and a careful dialogue between traditional materials and new additions.

A New Idea of the Masseria
Erika and Dan, a young couple from Los Angeles with backgrounds in tech and fashion, purchased Masseria Ficazzella in 2023 with a clear vision from the outset: to build a slower life, immersed in nature and shaped by the rhythms of the Puglian countryside.
More than a second home, the property was conceived as the permanent setting for a new shared existence — one that would include family, animals, and a community of friends from around the world. "The brief that came to us was equally precise: to transform a historic masseria into a contemporary home, avoiding any form of artificial reconstruction of the past," explain architects Federica Russo and Nicolò Lewanski of Valari Studio, who developed the project alongside architect Domenico Sasso. "The challenge was to define a new identity for the building — one that respects its memory without turning it into a stage set."

A Layered Architectural Organism
Located in the Fasano area, one of the most fertile and historically significant stretches of the Puglian Adriatic coast, Masseria Ficazzella spans approximately 680 square metres across two levels, set within an agricultural estate of over six hectares.
At the time of purchase, the building still retained its productive and domestic character; the various transformations accumulated over time had generated a fragmented configuration, legible both in the internal layout and across the façades.
The restoration and conservation project approached this complexity as a design opportunity, pursuing greater spatial coherence without erasing the traces of the building's historical evolution.
All rooms feature stone vaulted ceilings, while select remnants of the property's agricultural past have been preserved and reinterpreted. Among these, a historic millstone discovered within the building was restored and repositioned in the surrounding landscape, becoming an integral part of the property's narrative.
Continuity as a Design Principle
The pursuit of continuity is the central theme of the intervention.
The new internal layout connects the vaulted spaces through a sequence of open rooms, filtered passages and visual connections that modulate varying degrees of privacy and conviviality. In some instances, significant structural openings amplify spatial perception; in others, small thresholds and apertures frame unexpected views and deep perspectives.
The architecture thereby constructs a domestic experience founded on the relationships between spaces — one in which each room maintains its own identity while participating in a unified whole.

The Landscape Enters the Home
One of the project's most significant aspects concerns the relationship between interior and exterior.
The original openings of the masseria, necessarily preserved, served as the starting point for a reflection on the dialogue with the landscape. Through a careful distributive design, views towards the countryside, the olive groves and the sea were deliberately enhanced.
The large arched glazed doors in the living area transform the landscape into a constant and deliberate design presence, while the accessible roof terraces offer an unprecedented panoramic dimension: on one side, the Selva di Fasano woodland; on the other, the Adriatic. The project thus moves beyond the traditionally introverted character of rural stone architecture, establishing a more open and direct relationship with the natural surroundings.
Material, Light and Craftsmanship
The project develops a carefully calibrated dialogue between historic and contemporary materials.
The stone walls and vaulted ceilings were uncovered and treated with light lime washes that enhance their original texture. These surfaces are complemented by a restrained palette of materials: continuous microcement floors, bespoke natural oak joinery, dark bronze window frames, brass details, and handcrafted elements produced by local artisans.
Particular attention was given to custom-made pieces, including the large Lecce stone dining table and the monolithic graniglia washbasins — contemporary reinterpretations of the traditional Puglian stone basins.
The colour palette is intentionally reduced, composed of natural, understated tones. The value of the materials lies in the quality of their execution and in their capacity to create a warm, welcoming domestic atmosphere.
Linen, cotton and velvet textiles introduce a softer dimension, balancing the mineral character of the architecture and contributing to an informal, authentic living experience.

A Home Designed for Togetherness
The renovation transforms the masseria into a private residence comprising four suites, a study, a dedicated dressing room, and numerous shared indoor and outdoor spaces.
Entry is through a historic portal uncovered during the restoration. From here, a sequence of vaulted rooms draws the eye towards the olive groves at the rear of the property.
The heart of the living area is a generous open-plan space integrating the living room, kitchen and dining area. At its centre, a sunken conversation pit redefines the relationship between architecture and landscape, creating a direct visual connection with the garden.
The decision to limit conventional furnishings has preserved the volumetric purity of the historic spaces. Technical and storage functions are integrated within counter-walls and architectural volumes that house services, climate control systems, storage and fireplaces.
The oak joinery — entirely custom-made — becomes an integral part of the architecture itself, often flush with or recessed into the existing masonry, with the exception of the large central island and bar stools, conceived as a single sculptural block.
Architecture and Landscape as a Unified System
The design of the outdoor areas is an essential component of the project.
Access routes and gathering spaces are defined by Mediterranean species, shrubs, fruit trees and perennial plants, in continuity with the agricultural character of the estate.
The terraces become extensions of domestic life — spaces for conviviality, rest and the contemplation of the landscape. A stepped seating area oriented towards the sunset over the Selva di Fasano, a lounge area and a panoramic hot tub complete an outdoor system conceived as a series of open-air rooms within the territory.

A Collaborative Process
Completed in under two years, the project required close collaboration between client, designers, contractors and craftspeople — enabling the team to navigate complex bureaucratic processes, exceptionally tight timelines, and numerous constructive experiments.
"It was precisely the collaborative nature of the process that made this type of restoration possible — an act of conscious transformation, capable of opening new possibilities for an existing heritage." — Valari Studio
Design Philosophy
Masseria Ficazzella embodies one of Valari Studio's central research directions: exploring the relationship between memory and contemporaneity through interventions grounded not in contrast, but in accord.
An architecture that neither seeks to imitate the past nor passively overlays itself upon it — but instead explores a renewed relationship between what already exists and what is newly introduced, allowing an identity to emerge that belongs equally to the history of the place and to its present.

Team:
Design Team: Valari Studio(Arch. Nicolò Lewanski; Arch. Federica Russo) WITH Arch. Domenico Sasso; 
Team: Arch. Gianpiero Santoro, Surveyor Gianni Menga, Designer Erika Calogiuri 
Landscape: Gianni Birardi
General Contractor: GDO S.R.L

Photographers: Jansen Aui, Marina Denisova

Materials Used:
Craftspeople Alba Falegnameria (Woodwork) · Bianco Cave (Marble/Stone) · MGRInox (Metalwork) · Paglia di Lino (Textiles) · Ippolito Arte (Washbasins)
Furnishing Distributors Archiproducts (Furniture) · Loi srls (Cladding & Sanitaryware) · Garofoli (Lighting)
Furniture & Lighting Brands Bongio (tapware) · FormaCemento (Fusto side table) · Flou (Pierre side table) · Gart (Mediterraneo pouf) · Thonet (S845 chair) · Natuzzi (bespoke sofa) · Norr 11 (Gear side table, Le Roi bench, Elephant lounge chair, Fin side table, Elephant chair, Hippo chair, Hippo lounge chair; Mesquida, Marely, Mascarell, Canyet, Desni, Barien rugs) · KaveHome (Nina bar stools, Arinella outdoor chairs, Zivia lounge chair and sofa) · Talenti (Ermes parasols, Argo outdoor sofa, Cleosoft sunbed, Cleosoft side table, Argo coffee table, Ever dining chair) · Soho Home (Theodor armchair, Florenza vase, Jarrett rug, Willis bench, Joni Arc lamp, Sergio & Charlie side tables) · Zara Home (folding luggage rack, Fauteuil armchair, floor mirror, wave wool rug, jute rug, cotton-jute jaspe rug, ash and seagrass bench, ash headboard) · CinieNils (Sottile 380) · Flos (Noctambule floor lamp, Taccia lamp, Gustave table lamp) · Nemo Lighting (Swan wall) · Marset (Roc) · Idealux (Mapa, Smarties d30, Smarties d14) · Viabizzuno (Roy table) · Astro Light (Enna desk, Enna floor, Enna wall) · Nemo (Fox) · Vesoi (Pallatre 50) · Lombardo (Hasta) · Marset (Ginger outdoor bollards, FollowMe lamps)