Located near the Sardinian town of Luogosanto, Gallicantu Stazzo Retreat is surrounded by centuries-old olive trees, myrtle bushes and flowering almond trees. A traditional Gallurese farmhouse known as a “stazzu”, it had been abandoned for fifty years before being renovated by its new owner, Marco Berio, with advice from architect Jean-Claude Lesuisse. “The project is Marco’s,” explains Lesuisse. “My contribution concerned the interiors. I advised him not to alter the original Sardinian building but to respect it, to reclaim the stone and to work with local artisans.” “We opened on 12 May 2022,” continues Marco Berio, who together with his partner Raffaella Manca had decided to invest in Sardinia’s Alta Gallura region. “Gallicantu Stazzo Retreat is a small, charming guesthouse where we also organise painting courses, Sardinian cooking classes, jazz sessions and private events. It is a magical place that caters to an international clientele in search of a different kind of holiday, a rejuvenating full immersion in nature at its most authentic.” A “stazzo” (or “stazzu” in Gallurese dialect) is a type of building that exists only in Gallura. “The term refers to an old shepherd’s house and derives from the Latin word “statio”, which means “position” or “location”. From the 18th century onwards, the stazzu also became the first example of a type of self-sufficient building that is unique in Sardinia, a simple farmhouse where the meagre produce of the land and farmyard animals were used as commodities for subsistence and for trade. I purchased the farmhouse, cleaned it up and renovated it. Then for the name I hunted for forgotten Sardinian words such as “Gallicantu”, which derives from the Latin “gallicinium” and means “early morning”. This project marked a career change for me and gave a new lease of life to the property.” As the building was now to be used for hospitality rather than as a farmhouse, the design project “had to create elegant, cosy rooms while avoiding an overly rustic or Provençal and shabby look. We contacted local craftsmen, used stone and reutilised most of the existing structures. Located in a natural setting of rare beauty, the renovation was influenced by organic architecture but with respect for Sardinian traditions”. There is a strong reference to rurality and “the ancestral and archaic forms of the granite monoliths that are a distinctive feature of the location”. The project made extensive use of Ceramica Mediterranea’s Abitzai tile collection. “It was a very rewarding partnership. Although I am not Sardinian, I have deep respect for this island that has welcomed me for years, so my partner and I chose to protect it as best we could. All our design choices, from the materials to the finishes, originate from and celebrate Sardinia. The choice of porcelain tiles from the Abitzai collection underscored the ethical stance at the heart of our philosophy: to create a Sardinian product with a modern image but with a subtle reference to the past and to the most authentic Sardinian decorations. As a result, all the rooms are tiled with durable, hygienic surfaces that are easy to clean and maintain.” The first form of sustainability was to choose exclusively Sardinian-made products. “The second was to search for environmentally friendly solutions such as low-consumption LEDs, charging stations for electric vehicles in partnership with BMW, and a photovoltaic system that meets much of our energy needs.”