this restoration and regeneration project in the apuan apls aims to bring abandoned places back to life.

Here in the Apuan Alps there are many tiny villages that used to be fully functioning places where the Apuans used to live.

Apuan means keeper of the mountains, they are said to be the beings that inhabited this area of mountain hundreds of years ago and built all the infrastructure that you can find there today. the villages on the tips of the mountains, the caves, bridges and hidden sites.

The Apuans developed many systems and ways of living from their connection to the land and the space.

This is the idea and essence I have a continue to learn from living in these mountains, how to connect to the space and learn how to live there, how to come into a space where we are co-creating with the space rather than just creating from our own sense of desire and want.

why restoration is important

Restoring abandoned places is important for various reasons, social, economic, environmental, and cultural considerations.

Historical and Cultural Preservation:

Abandoned places often hold historical and cultural significance. Restoration efforts can help preserve the architectural heritage, artifacts, and stories associated with these places, contributing to a collective understanding of the past.

Heritage Conservation:

Abandoned structures and sites may be part of a region's cultural heritage. By restoring these places, communities can safeguard their heritage, maintaining a connection to their history and fostering a sense of identity and continuity.

Community Revitalisation:

Restoration projects can revitalise communities by bringing new life and purpose to abandoned areas. Renovated spaces can attract new residents, and people to work together and initiate new projects, ideas and ways of living among community members.

Environmental Conservation:

Reusing and repurposing existing structures can be more environmentally sustainable than demolishing and rebuilding. Restoration minimizes waste, preserves embodied energy in existing materials, and reduces the environmental impact associated with new construction.

Creative Initiatives:

Restoring abandoned places enhances the visual appeal of neighborhoods and landscapes. Bringing in creative and experimental people with new energy and ideas to bring a space back to life. Making it more attractive for residents and visitors.

Social Spaces and Community Gathering:

Restored places can serve as social hubs and community gathering spaces. By creating venues for events, markets, or public activities, restored places foster a sense of community and social interaction.

Educational Opportunities:

To bring a place back to life brings new educational opportunities for the people, new opportunities to learn and develop. New opportunities to create spaces where people develop important life skills like building, restoring and bringing places back to life.

Preserving Architectural Diversity:

Many abandoned places represent unique architectural styles and features that contribute to the diversity of a region's built environment. Restoring these structures helps maintain architectural diversity and prevents the loss of distinctive designs.

Overall, restoring abandoned places is a multifaceted endeavor that goes beyond physical reconstruction. It involves community engagement, historical research, sustainable development practices, and a commitment to preserving the cultural and architectural legacy of a region.

this project aims to be creative, bring creativity and co-create to bring life back into areas that are dwindling.

For me, one of the greatest gifts of having been able to live up in these mountains, in an abandoned town amongst all of its wild nature and essence is the ability to create, re-create and co-create in a space without limitations.

The beauty of this place is that there is so much untapped beauty, there is so much peaceful creativity to be manifested and so many possibilities. There are endless spaces that need restoring and being brought back to life.

Being able to do this, bring life back into something that has changed so much over time is really a gift of freedom. In this space there is the potential to be really open and present. In this mindset I find that creating is much more pure and comes from a trust place of really connecting with the self and the space because there aren’t any alternative distractions or conditions that take us out of our authentic being.

This project is ongoing in all aspects, building, agriculture, painting, making and developing spaces to bring them back to life and make them relievable. Creativity is not only limited to painting and drawing but it expands across many possibilities, cooking, foraging, coming up with community projects. All these things are important to consider in the creative realm and not to limit ourselves to what we perceive creativity to be.

the sacred rose creative project

The Sacred Rose is one of the works I produced here, amongst many others this is one of my favourite. This was a mural done with the intention to bring the space to life and to see what appears in the space without a pre-determined outcome.

This spontaneous work was a really interesting reflection of the space. The name was realised after in came into fruition. The essence of this mural was about birth.

Birth is the idea of something coming into this world in a form. One of the ideas of when civilisations are born, is that there is the birth of fire.

Naturally, humans need fire to survive, fire is the elemental force that brings life forward, creates the motivation, movement and transmutes energy. So where they say the fire was born is also where civilisations were born.

A beautiful reflection of fire in nature is the Rose. The rose holds the sacred geometry of the heart and the fire, the core of our earth, the core of our being is the heart that keeps the earth moving.

Therefore this mural became about the birth of life, using the symbol and essence of the rose to represent the core of us all which is the heart and the core of our beings which is the fire.

Research into local herbs and foraging

The Apuan Apls are known for their diverse flora. The region's climate, altitude, and ecosystems contribute to the presence of a range of plant species.

Whilst living in these mountain ranges I also had the time to forage in the mountains to discover what type of herbs an fruits could be found. This was an expansion of the project to discover what can be found in off the grid places and how to expand on their natural potentialities.

While the specific herbs and fruits may vary across different elevations and habitats from where I was able to reach I discovered in interesting variety.

Herbs:

Thyme (Thymus spp.):

Thyme is a fragrant herb with culinary uses. It is often found in rocky and sunny areas.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis):

Rosemary, known for its aromatic leaves, grows in the wild and is used both in cooking and for its medicinal properties.

Lavender (Lavandula spp.):

Lavender is cultivated for its aromatic flowers, which are used in the production of essential oils. It may also grow wild in certain areas.

Sage (Salvia officinalis):

Sage is an herb with gray-green leaves and is used in cooking. It may be found in rocky and dry habitats.

Mint (Mentha spp.):

Various species of mint, including spearmint and peppermint, may be found in damp and shaded areas near water sources.

Oregano (Origanum vulgare):

Oregano is a culinary herb with aromatic leaves. It may be found in sunny and well-drained locations.

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla):

Chamomile is known for its small, daisy-like flowers with medicinal properties. It may grow in open meadows.

Fruits:

Berries (Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries):

Wild berries, including blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries, can be found in the undergrowth of forests and meadows.

Wild Strawberries (Fragaria vesca):

Wild strawberries are small, sweet berries that may be found in grassy areas and woodlands.

Juniper Berries (Juniperus communis):

Juniper berries, used as a spice in cooking and in the production of gin, may be found on evergreen juniper shrubs.

Apples (Malus domestica):

Apple trees, both cultivated and wild, may produce fruits in the region. Orchards and old varieties of apple trees can be found in some areas.

Plums (Prunus domestica):

Wild plums may grow in certain habitats, providing small, flavorful fruits.

Chestnuts (Castanea sativa):

Chestnut trees are found in the forests of the Apuan Alps, and their edible nuts have been historically important for local communities.

Hazelnuts (Corylus avellana):

Hazelnut shrubs may produce nuts in the region, contributing to the local culinary scene.

Grapes (Vitis vinifera):

In lower elevations, especially in the foothills, grapevines may be cultivated for wine production.

Other foraging surprises:

Wild Mushrooms:

The Apuan Alps are home to various wild mushroom species. Some edible mushrooms include porcini (Boletus edulis), chanterelles, and oyster mushrooms

Edible Greens:

Wild greens such as dandelion leaves, wild chicory, and various types of edible leaves can be foraged. These greens can be used in salads or cooked dishes.

Edible Flowers:

Some alpine flowers are edible and can be used to add color and flavor to salads or desserts

Wild Asparagus:

In the spring, wild asparagus can be foraged in the meadows and along the edges of forests. It is a delicacy often used in Italian cuisine.

It's important to note that the presence of herbs and fruits can be influenced by specific microclimates, elevations, and environmental conditions. Additionally, some plants may have both culinary and traditional medicinal uses in the local culture.