Airbnb has renovated a house in Sicily, in Sambuca, and offers it for a year to a host who will take care of it and host a room
The project curated by Airbnb is part of the “1 Euro House” initiative, started in 2019 by the village of Sambuca to fight depopulation. The 1 Euro House initiative wants to promote conscious tourism, even in the long term. Now that working at a distance is much easier, the village of Sambuca and Airbnb give one host the opportunity to live a year in Sicily at no cost; the only conditions are that they live in the house for a period and host a room for at least nine months.
And not just any house. Airbnb’s 1 Euro House is an old building completely renovated by Studio Didea, with contemporary design furniture. The stone-made structure has rooms with vaulted ceilings, pass-through rooms and wooden ceilings.
Discover Ai Giudici coffee&drinks, by Studio Didea, in Palermo
The building has three floors, so the focus is on vertical distribution. Two self-supporting staircases with a perforated sheet metal casing are flanked by a third volume made of mirrors and mustard lacquered MDF that houses a bathroom and a ladder leading to the mezzanine.
The space is fluid and flexible, adaptable to the needs of those who will live there. The only spaces with a defined function are the master bedroom and the kitchen. As the rooms have few openings to the outside, the doors are made of glass and wood to allow for the passage of light. However, thanks to some clever solutions, the rooms are still bright.
“Sicilianity” is a strength
One of the strengths of the project is its Sicilianity, which brings the lights and atmosphere of Sambuca into the house. Given the international character of the project, the space is flexible enough to accommodate guests from all over the world, with very different habits, while preserving the local character.
Discover Ai Giudici coffee&drinks, by Studio Didea, in Palermo
Walls and floors are made of lime, raw earth and local materials, in contrast with the red and green painted sheet metal of the volumes of the stairwell. Contemporary furniture fits into spaces that have preserved their original, rural atmosphere.
Apply online on Airbnb to live in the 1 Euro House in Sambuca
