A tiny village called Corippo in southern Switzerland is petitioning to become a albergo diffuso or ‘scattered hotel’ to save the historic destination from ruin. The Corippo Foundation 1975, which is local to the area, aims to restore the ancient buildings and rejuvenate the surrounding area through money generated by tourism.
Connected by narrow cobbled streets, the slate-roofed, stone houses scattered along the steep side of a mountain that make up Corippo are hundreds of years old, dating back to the early 1800s. At its peak, the village was home to 315 people, but this dwindled in 1950 to '70 and now the inhabitants of the crumbling, ancient village total just 12, leaving the village’s future in question.
For the villagers and former residents of the tiny village, agriculture formed the only livelihood for centuries, leaving the remaining 12 residents with no way to make a living. The Corippo Foundation hopes that by turning the village into a ‘scattered hotel’ it will not only draw visitors to the area, but people to live as well who will work in different sectors to support the village and the running of the hotel.
As well as turning some of the existing houses into guest accommodation that will include hotel rooms and self-catered cottages, the project would also seek to turn one of the buildings into an information centre detailing the history of the village and the surrounding area, as well as transforming the village’s current restaurant into, “a multi-purpose structure” at the heart of the village.
Jobs would be generated through the restoration of the village, as well as the cultivation of the surrounding land, as the project hopes to renew the landscape to grow food that can be used in the local restaurant and served to guests.
The Corippo Foundation 1975 emphasises their focus on “soft tourism” that respects the environment and helps the village and hotel run as sustainably and self-sufficiently as possible.
The cost of restoring the village and the mill, building the hotel and the ambitious landscape project is estimated to total around $8.9 million (6'341'000 Swiss Franc). If it can get fully funded, the project is set for completion and the hotel scheduled to open in Easter 2020.