THE LOVE AFFAIR

Puglia is seeing a future with dramatically rising temperatures, leading to a fall in the growth of crops on which much of the economy relies. The Love affair proposes a new agricultural vernacular enveloped in energy, industry, and relationships to avoid the necessity of a memorial to Italian agriculture. The Love Affair explores three narratives: the romance of ruin and family history, the muck of cattle and dairy production, and the red richness of sun drying tomatoes. The encounters that occur between these processes are enriched by the people involved in the cooperative project including experts, locals, permanent dwellers, temporary farm workers (WWOOF), and visitors, enhance the encounters between these processes, spreading awareness of high-quality production aligned with the changing landscape. The retention of existing structures combined with the introduction of new elements highlights the relationship that the Masseria continues to have with its past. The Banquet Hall is a celebration of harvest, seated within a grand hall surrounded by industry, mechanics and movement. The cattle ramp is raised above running along the length of the hall and the tomato lift passes over head. The contrasting nature of grandeur, ornate and intimate architecture alongside a chaotic and mucky environment enveloped in The Love Affair proposes a response to the hundreds of abandoned Masseria strewn across the Puglian landscape.