Design apartments in Italian ghost towns

Before the restoration, the space was used by a cooperative for social inclusion. They now share the building.

The staircase of Casa Cuoco in Civita Campomarano before restaurations

Before restoration, Casa Cuoco was set up as a meeting room. "The space remained empty for years. We rarely actually used it," says local Barbara Manuele.

This is where the Italian Villages project started three years ago: The first house to be restored was Casa Greco, a medieval building that was damaged by an earthquake. Located at the far end of the village, it offers spectacular views over the surrounding valley.

The designers decided to keep the original stone walls and floors.

DWA Studio opted for brands like Cassina, Nemo, Kvadrat, and Bitossi to furnish the two-level apartment that can host up to five people.

Only 10 people live in the crumbling town of Civita di Bagnoregio, Italy. The Italian Villages project aims to revitalize rural ghost towns across the country. To ensure that funds are reinvested in the community, Airbnb does not take a commission on bookings of redeveloped buildings.

Brooklyn-based artist Francesco Simeti created a Renaissance-inspired tapestry that doubles as a curtain, visible from the outside as well. The flowers and plants in his work are a direct reference to the landscape that surrounds the village.

The town of Lavenone stretches into the Alps. It has a population of 500.

Young visual artist Olimpia Zagnoli, who has illustrated magazine covers for The New York Times, decorated the walls with a colorful mosaic. Her artwork is inspired by the annual amphibian migration to nearby Lake Idro.

The cooperative now regularly uses the apartment for their meetings.