Back to the Future

di Jessica and Edoardo Fano 01.12.1998 00:00

The community of the future in a medieval village? Jessica and Edoardo Fano find out whether Colletta di Castelbianco is the shape of things to come

The brainchild of the 15 billion lire (Ł5m) project, in which Telecom Italia is collaborating, is Valerio Saggini (Teleura).

Imagine: no commuting, no traffic and pollution, no boss breathing, literally, down your neck and early rises a thing of the past (unless you are partial to gazing across scenic landscapes from your hilltop position). A futuristic dream brought on by pre-Monday morning stress? Well, the good news is no. Working without crossing your front door threshold is already underway in the latest hi-tech environment of Colletta di Castelbianco, the new and only global village in Italy and indeed in Europe.

Colletta, nestled along a crest, 300 metres above sea level is situated in the middle of the Ligurian Pennavaira valley in the province of Savona. A part of the Comune di Castelbianco, Colletta is being proposed as the ideal setting for those wishing to work from home in the middle of idyllic isolation.

This small medieval rural village, dating back to the 13th century, is being restored and transformed into a working technological paradise for those wanting to remain on the cutting edge of telecommunications developments, yet hankering after a low-stress lifestyle. A seemingly tall order for a village which had undergone a steady bout of emigration over the last few centuries as its inhabitants searched for livelier, non-agricultural prospects. Unsurprisingly, the earthquake that hit the village in 1887 accentuated the depopulation trend, until Colletta was completely abandoned 30 years ago.

The handsome task of attracting 21st-century hermits to a former countryside backwater is under the control of a group of experts in telecommunication infrastructure and architecture. The project took off during the early '90s and work is due to finish by the end of the century.

The brainchild of the 15 billion lire (Ł5m) project, in which Telecom Italia is collaborating, is Valerio Saggini (Teleura). Saggini is enthusiastic: 'the idea is to demonstrate that it's possible to bring back to life these places where one can enjoy a high quality of life, different from that in the cities, eliminating travelling to really make the most of one's time and to do it thanks to the existence of today's telecommunications technology.'

Heady stuff, indeed.

At the forefront of restoring the houses is the renowned architect Giancarlo De Carlo, who was also responsible for revitalising the ancient city centre of Urbino.

The restoration process follows De Carlo's self-termed 'crustacean' system: interlocking cells that can be expanded or contracted to the needs of those living there, although now the cells are divided up into saleable units to make the project commercially viable. Using the natural stone has been an advantage as it facilitates the insertion of cables, thus injecting Colletta with the advanced technological fizz needed to entice prospective computer boffins. The village also retains its original picturesque charm, as both structure and layout blend into the surrounding landscape. Even a car park for the inhabitants, due to be completed by the end of the year 2000, is built into the hillside just outside Colletta. For the time being, though, they have to walk up from the main road.

All houses have basic living essentials (kitchen, bedroom, studio, bathroom), almost all have a terrace and some also have a tiny garden. The main point is that here you can be locked on-line to the future. Each house boasts two power points, ensuring that Internet (using fast iSDN links) and satellite TV connections are possible. Colletta itself has ample cabling to ensure the swift introduction of all future technological advances.

Getting down to the nitty-gritty: between 60 and 65 houses are up for grabs and have been on sale since March this year. So far, 25 have been snapped up at a cost of 4 million lire (Ł1,300) per square metre and rising. So what kind of people are buying? What, dare we suggest, is the social scene if you fancy coming off-line from the future to take a break in the present (or better still the Middle Ages)?

There is an odd mix of people. Professions range from a school teacher, a university professor, an architect, and a builder, to an entrepreneur in jewellery, industrialists, a writer, and a couple who are surgeons. The only thing they share, apart from their desire to escape the city and being info freaks, is their age: middle-aged. There are no whizz kids here.

However, children are mad about Colletta, breathes Saggini. Children can certainly run around freely in the play area in the central square and are probably encouraged to do so, where a watchful eye can be kept on them, while the other presumably remains on screen. And if the thought of tearing yourself away from the computer to do some shopping is just one stressful moment too far, there is even a type of security guard-cum-porter, who as well as keeping things under tabs can deliver essentials to your door.

Of course, going out is no need to miss out. There is a Cyber-Cafe in the village, which acts as a social meeting point for the present and future inhabitants of Colletta and where Internet links are the order of the day. The Cafe also hosts cultural events such as concerts, conferences and presentations.

Golf, tennis, riding, a flying dub, a racing course and the seaside of Albenga are all under 20kms away and are easily accessible by car from Colletta.

Saggini is quick to point out the benefits of the re-use and adaptation of an ancient rural settlement (tourism, fibre-optic cabling of the whole valley for all inhabitants), but dismisses fears of the possibility of future Collettas springing up in the same valley and associated problems that increased traffic could bring. 'Colletta has a unique mix of characteristics that have allowed us to do this project. Not everyone likes Colletta and those who choose to come here are not typical tourists, so it'll never become a place for mass tourism.

'People here don't see it as the house where they spend their weekend or summer holidays, but as a place to go and work, to concentrate, certainly to live. We have been very pleased to see that the inhabitants are very enthusiastic about this experience, and they collaborate with the project by proposing improvements.' With that pleasant thought, you can finally banish Monady mornings from your mind and make them a thing of the past.

[Baglioni, december 1998]

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