Single-family detached house via Congregazione 43, Spongano

A freshness of thought often accompanies houses inspired by archetypes and if to this we add the luck of an optimal location, in one of the most beautiful historic centers in Salento, we obtain a living experience that shines with minimal charm and hospitality. The house we encounter in via Congregazione, in Spongano, a stone's throw from Piazza Vittoria, participates in this great intelligence of the places, capable as it is of hiding, under a simple facade, the collected and jovial spirit of the houses of the past, the The family atmosphere that remains diffused around a hearth, while you can feel the alchemical charm of the niches and vaults, tempered by the wisdom of past workers.

Once you cross the entrance threshold, you find yourself inside a generous square-vaulted living area, a relaxing and intimate space enhanced by the physical power of the walls and the daylight, which is revealed through large openings of stone. At the center of the scene, a fireplace, young in its features, perfectly expresses the idea of heights, because the flue intercepts the vault, triggering an intriguing play of lines, the restless charm of a central eight-pointed star. The following room, intended for the intimacy of the evening, is a very sweet memory that resurfaces from an old photo, a wonderful projection of a scene distant in time and which echoes in the niches immersed in the stone, in the sacred dimension of a window accompanied by steps , in the shining starry vault, which becomes even more simple and instinctive in its features. On the north side, a passageway with a versatile nature leads respectively to the bathroom and an open space behind it, the latter being a very precious space, because it gives breathing space and light to the most introspective part of the house. The volumetric generosity of the basement is surprising and intriguing, easily reachable from the courtyard, with the two barrel-vaulted rooms that project outwards, following the perimeter consistency of the domestic itinerary.

An iron staircase traces the ascent path towards the exclusive property terrace, an ideal outpost for admiring the beauty of the surrounding landscape and enjoying the regenerating peace that comes from the heart of a great history. This is the ideal dimension for cultivating the joy of living, exercising the wisdom that eliminates the superfluous, following the natural inclination of the houses of the past, playing to the limit on the solid balance of simple elements.

Spongano is a quiet town in the lower Salento with an ancient heart that boasts a historic center of absolute beauty, with noble homes and authentic flavours. The small town takes its name from "Spongia", i.e. sponge, due to the absorption capacity of the soil. The symbol of the city is the Clock Tower in late Baroque style, built in 1768 with the function of Seat, in a dominant position in the wonderful Piazza Vittoria.