Once upon a time in Italy two thirds of the roads were mule trails and paths, which often took form for purposes of trade, but were also used by pilgrims to reach holy places.

In recent years the practice of hiking has been vigorously revived: we walk to stay in shape, to rediscover slowness, to get closer to nature and the landscape.

Starting with these considerations, the architect and designer Marco Ferreri has interpreted the theme Open Borders in the perspective of a renewed contact with nature, creating the exhibition Casetta del Viandante (The House of the Wayfarer) to propose a model of a distributed hotel with low environmental impact for contemporary pilgrims.

The show features four autonomous habitat modules of about 9 m2, mostly made of wood. Each one contains two beds, a table and two folding chairs, a kitchen and a bathroom. Every module is independent in terms of energy thanks to solar panels, micro-windmills and storage of water, thermal and electrical energy.

The four models have been decorated and personalized by four architects, using their own creations: Marco Ferreri, Michele De Lucchi, Denis Santachiara and Stefano Giovannoni.

Casetta del Viandante has been designated as a an official exhibition of the 21st Milan Triennale ‘21st Century. Design After Design’.

Partner: Cacciati Costruzioni Restauri, Arex, Esa Progetti, DeMarinis, D’Officina, Pertinger, SID.

Lighting: Artemide

 

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Marco Ferreri
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The House of the Wayfarer “The sheet metal roof of the cabin gathers rainwater in a gutter that feeds a cistern. The quantity stored is sufficient for two people to take a shower. In the winter the water is heated by a wood-burning stove on which it is also possible to cook, while in the summer warmth is provided by a small solar panel. A photovoltaic panel feeds a low-tension battery to power three LED lamps and recharge mobile phones. Furnishings by: Billiani, Danese, Magis, A Ferro e Fuoco
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Michele De Lucchi (ph. Giovanni Gastel)
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Il viandante sei tu? “Wayfarers, as we know, walk and then walk some more. They have lots of strength, will power and a spirit of sacrifice, but now and then they also get tired. Marco has done well, designing this house to place along the pathways of pilgrims… A small cabin is just right, it’s better, because it is more intimate, you can stay close, embracing during slumber, and fall in love, perhaps… The light should be low, allowing you to see without glare, to aim where needed. So I have put a Tolomeo on the wall, so as not to use any of the available floor space… on the table there is also a small vase, for one flower, or a blade of grass… in the morning, after a night of love, it’s time for hot coffee, so on the woodburning stove I’ve placed a Pulcina coffeemaker. Wayfarers, as they walk, usually think a lot, and every so often they get good ideas that need to be jotted down. So they always have a pen, and a piece of paper or a notebook in their pocket. So the interior walls have been covered with sheets of paper, attached with tacks, with writings and drawings the wanderers leave here as messages to inspire and stimulate other visitors.” Michele De Lucchi Furnishings by: Alessi with illy, Produzione Privata, Artemide
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Il viandante sei tu? “Wayfarers, as we know, walk and then walk some more. They have lots of strength, will power and a spirit of sacrifice, but now and then they also get tired. Marco has done well, designing this house to place along the pathways of pilgrims… A small cabin is just right, it’s better, because it is more intimate, you can stay close, embracing during slumber, and fall in love, perhaps… The light should be low, allowing you to see without glare, to aim where needed. So I have put a Tolomeo on the wall, so as not to use any of the available floor space… on the table there is also a small vase, for one flower, or a blade of grass… in the morning, after a night of love, it’s time for hot coffee, so on the woodburning stove I’ve placed a Pulcina coffeemaker. Wayfarers, as they walk, usually think a lot, and every so often they get good ideas that need to be jotted down. So they always have a pen, and a piece of paper or a notebook in their pocket. So the interior walls have been covered with sheets of paper, attached with tacks, with writings and drawings the wanderers leave here as messages to inspire and stimulate other visitors.” Michele De Lucchi Furnishings by: Alessi with illy, Produzione Privata, Artemide
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Stefano Giovannoni
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Rabbit House. The Rabbit Chair, a seat in the form of a rabbit, is the latest creation of Stefano Giovannoni, and the protagonist of the decor the designer has invented for his House of the Wayfarer. Besides being a functional object, the Rabbit Chair is a tool of communication, in tune with the theme of the exhibition. The seats are placed inside the house to welcome the wayfarer, communicating a sense of reassuring domesticity. The interiors and seats use the same color, white, to evoke an atmosphere of peace and quiet, for a place where wanderers can find well-earned rest. Furnishings by: Qeeboo
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Denis Santachiara
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The little Wanderer. In his interpretation of the House of the Wayfarer Denis Santachiara was inspired by the narrative work Il piccolo viandante (1930) by Tomaso Monicelli. His house, in fact, contains a second house for a little wanderer: when an emergency bed named Ca-Mia, produced by Campeggi, is inflated, it takes the form of a volume in light fabric that has the same iconic form as the cabin. Besides the temporary house of the little wayfarer, Santachiara has inserted some useful and entertaining objects, including a fruit tray, a citrus squeezer and colored stools by Cyrcus.it. “Some are puzzles, others are amusing because they have to be assembled, others still link back to romantic thoughts,” the designer says, “little games to pass the time, waiting for an imminent snowstorm.” Objects and furnishings by: Campeggi, Cyrcus.it
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Casetta del Viandante has been designated as a an official exhibition of the 21st Milan Triennale ‘21st Century. Design After Design’.