Environment and Tourism
Farmhouses and Hotels
A recent study by the Bari Polytechnic investigates the relationship of dependence between rural buildings (mostly farms) and the Apulian landscape.
Between the rural building and the landscape in which it fits and to which, after many stratifications, it has provided a clear identity, sometimes even characterizing it positively.
The position of the farm in the area, in fact, has often conditioned the infrastructural network and the structuring of the agricultural landscape. More in detail, the research aims to trace the ancient logics of localization on the territory and of valorisation of the agricultural landscape in the Apulian rural architecture and to define which of them derive from an empirical knowledge and which from an empirical knowledge and which respond to a design already codified.
These constructive features are particularly useful for obtaining effective passive cooling, for promoting natural ventilation and for building ingenious air recovery and conservation systems.
Systems for recovering and conserving rainwater – are still present in some of the farmhouses examined, most of which are now in a serious state of neglect.
Introduction
The farmhouse and rural architecture spread throughout the Apulian territory, with the exception of some recently restored examples, are today like silent witnesses of a civilization relegated to the margins of history. They document – even in their state of abandonment, or through it – the strait relationship with the production system to which it belonged. This defines the peculiarity of the farmhouse directly dependent on the characteristics of the environment and the productive use of the environment and the productive use that has been made of it. In this geographical area, rural buildings often define the functional characterization of the territory.
The most recent studies – collected mainly in Atlantis of the Environmental, Territorial and
Environmental, Territorial and Landscape Heritage of the Puglia Region – confirmed the relationship between rural morphotypes and the recurring categories of buildings. A careful cross-check of the type of crop, the geographical area and the shape and setting of the buildings, shows the strong correlation between these
Paesini di Natale tra Puglia e Basilicata
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The reason for this scientific research
The research aims to develop a gradual understanding of the places and the relationship that the manor farm has established with its environment. More in depth, the research seeks to analyze how the orientation, the aggregation of the different functions within the same unit within the same rural unit and the construction system, are the result of a planning based on environmental parameters on environmental parameters elaborated on the basis of traditional Apulian and traditional Apulian architecture and applied over the centuries.
The other objectives of the study are to identify the theoretical contribution that may have influenced the knowledge of the workforce involved in the design and construction of the manor farm; which of these knowledges derive from the experience acquired living in these places; finally, what parallels never seen before can be found in the dense network of Apulian farms and similar buildings located in the Mediterranean area.
Relationships made even more complex by the use of the farms themselves for tourism purposes. Therefore, we will try to understand how agricultural production coexists with tourist exploitation and to what extent they overlap or not.
Very distant times
The contribution of the ancient treatises
Searching in the sources of even very old books is one of the first elements of in-depth analysis to understand the differentiation of the various rural housing units of Puglia, that is, of Italy in general.
The theoretical contribution to the broad theme of rural architecture, sees its origins as early as the 2nd century from Cato who, in his work "De Agricoltura", warned landowners saying that it was necessary to live in country houses to improve their earnings and that the farm should be in proportion to the land to which it belonged.
The same consideration is taken up by Vitruvius, who in his "De Architectura" suggests the constructive rule according to which the development of farm units should be fixed in relation to the size of the land and the quantity of production.
Xenophon, in his Memorabilia, reports a conversation between Socrates and his disciple, in which the philosopher gives instructions on how to build a perfectly functional house: "... if the house faces south, in winter the sunlight will penetrate the porch covered and will illuminate the main rooms, while in summer, when the sun passes over our heads, the roof will keep the house in the shade (…) Build the main rooms on the north side and open to the south. Build them higher than any other structure that can block southern exposure and that way the low winter sun can be captured."
In Book VI, chapter VI "What aspects of the sky must the buildings cover",
Vitruvius gives advice on the exposure that rooms in private houses must have: “(…) the dining area used in winter, and the bathrooms should face south-west, this also because these areas should be illuminated by the light coming from the west, moreover, the setting sun heats the bathroom directly, making it warm in the evening. Bedrooms and libraries should face east, because the use of these areas requires morning light. Dining rooms used in spring and autumn should face east; to keep these environments temperate, just keep the windows closed until sunset. Dining rooms used in the summer season should face north; unlike other places, these halls remain on the opposite side of the sun's path. They are always fresh, healthy and pleasant to use (…)”.
Plato, in his “Laws” (V, 747 de) emphasizes the good effects of elements such as sun, water and wind on urban life, just as Aristotle (384-332 BC) in his “Politics” refers to: “… we must hope that the city is located in an ideal way, in a high place, paying attention to four conditions: first of all, healthiness (cities that are exposed to the east and to winds blowing from the east are healthier; then there are the cities that are sheltered from the north wind, because they generally have mild winters). (…) since one must think about the health of the inhabitants, and this depends on the happy position and exposure of the area and secondly on the availability of healthy water…”.
Conclusions AILoveTourism ( First part )
In this first part we have highlighted how, over the course of real millennia, production activities have always enjoyed a scientific approach; designed to maximize the primary needs of the population settled in those territories. Tourism is making changes, but they are still anchored and limited by the function for which these structures were designed.
In the second part, we will analyze this phenomenon better and with numerical data, through the use of electronic cartography (GIS), obtaining lessons and procedural ways also for the future.
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