The Romanian village contains nearly half the population of our country. There is no doubt that Romania, more than ever, must turn its gaze to the current situation of the peasants, noticing rural-specific problems and deliver solutions.
The scope of this project is to support the cultural and social initiatives of the contemporary painter Stefan Câlţia. He has started several cultural activities in Șona, which is the charming place of his childhood, the point of departure and return of the artist.
The project outlines a strategy whose goal is to use touristic means in order to revive the rural community and bring life in the village. The strategy, which is based on principles of sustainable development involves combining two models of tourism: community based-tourism (which implies the involvement of the locals) and creative tourism (which involves the tourists in learning local crafts ).
For this purose a number of interventions are required in the whole village. The project is proposing a school, where the locals can develop various craft activities - and a guest house, designed to host tourists who will participate in the creative workshops that are planned to take place in the school.
The school building, located in the center of the village,was one of the most beautiful houses in the village. The construction has worsened noticeably and it collapsed recently. I tried to save and integrate in the project these ruins that speak about the nostalgia of a forgotten world.
