Hovering between the sea, the lake, and the mountain, Cagnano Varano is one of the many little towns in Italy that in the last decades has suffered a strong decline in population (growth was registered until 1991 when it reached 9,158 residents and then dropped to 7,000 as of today).

This site is rich in natural resources, which has allowed its inhabitants to make a living relying on the presence of the lake. Among the activities: fishing and mussels farming. The lake waters were once rich in mussels and clams, eels and chariots, while the hills and woodlands suitable for the sheep’s rearing. This balance was broken in the 1950s when many left for Germany, Belgium, and Switzerland in search for a better future.

Few decades later, homesickness and the attachment to their roots has brought those who have migrated back to Cagnano Varano. With the money earned during the long years of work abroad, they have invested everything in their hometown. This is how, around the 70s, the construction of the new districts began: 3-4 stories building erected not to respond to an actual housing demand but rather to lay the foundations for a solid future, made of bricks, for themselves and their own family.

Alessandro Guida, 2017