In the rural landscape of the Itria Valley, the restoration of Masseria Padolecchia stems from a desire to move beyond the clichés of the so-called “Puglia style,” too often reduced today to a decorative backdrop. Instead, the project embraces a measured and philological approach, guided by subtraction rather than addition, restoring the masseria’s authentic identity as an agricultural building: essential, understated, and deeply rooted in its territory.
The intervention involved the removal of incongruous additions accumulated over time, which had compromised the clarity of the original structure. By eliminating these later alterations, the project re-established the relationship between architecture and landscape. The masseria once again engages in dialogue with the agricultural system that shaped it: dry-stone walls, rural trulli, historic pathways, Mediterranean woodland, and the restored historic citrus grove.
At the heart of the estate stands a monumental holm oak, one of the most significant specimens in the region. More than a remarkable botanical presence, the tree becomes the spatial and symbolic centre of the entire project, around which the landscape composition is organised.
Alongside the restoration of the masseria, conservation works were undertaken on the trulli and dry-stone boundary walls, using compatible techniques and natural materials in full respect of local building traditions. The aim is not merely to preserve a historic structure, but to reactivate a cultural ecosystem shaped by memory, agriculture, and a slower, more conscious form of hospitality.
The project envisions the masseria as a contemporary place for experiencing the rural landscape: a space capable of hosting cultural activities, educational programmes, and forms of sustainable tourism. In doing so, it transforms historical heritage into a living resource for the territory, allowing the past to remain an active and meaningful part of the present.
About Keller Architettura
The space designed by KellerArchitettura develops from the intention to open itself to a place where different artistic experiences find and physical sopace of confrontation, exchange and reciprocal growth. The common intent of this project is the search for beauty, for harmony, for sharing and fun.
Arch. Antonio Giuseppe Martiniello 1994 – Degree in Architecture at the University of Naples “Federico II”,
After a period of study at the Technische Universitat in Graz, Austria; after the degree he moves to Austria where he works for various design studios and where he founds the KellerArchitettura. From 2000 on, he comes back to Italy and he founds a studio in Naples.
Arch. Antonio Giuseppe Martiniello
1994 – Degree in Architecture at the University of Naples “Federico II”, After a period of study at the Technische Universitat in Graz, Austria; after the degree he moves to Austria where he works for various design studios and where he founds the KellerArchitettura. From 2000 on, he comes back to Italy and he founds a studio in Naples.
