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It is interesting to consider the concept of modern-day ‘hamlet communities’, for the retired, semi-retired of those seeking more than just a holiday home. I’ve always lived and worked in international environments and although I have family and friends here in Italy, I always liked the idea of living in a little community of like-minded people trying to live ‘off the grid’ in a sustainable way, without loss of comfort or internet access. I have a few friends who are interested in the idea, and have talked to a number of people over the years with a similar vision. ‘Hamlet’s offer the possibility of having more space and a restoration at lower cost compared to single dwelling properties. Plus, they offer the owners of each home in the community the possibility to share and grow in the project. A warm and comfortable home to live in can be achieved at low expense if you are happy to work as a team, do much of the labour intensive work yourself, and can compromise on the ‘bling’.
I have visited many potential sites and on a plot suitable for 4/5 homes of around 80m2, a hamlet community could quite easily be created. There are such plots for around 40/50K euros so for a group of 4-5 buyers, an individual investment of around 10-15K would buy the plot. A further 20K per home would cover the costs of restoration with many shared costs to benefit from. When I say restored, I mean a dry, warm modern home inside, rustic on the outside, wood burner and solar for heating and hot water. Comfort but no gas boiler convenience. More often than not, gas bottles for gas-hob cooking. Cheap, sustainable living requires planning and a bit of regular work. Chopping wood in the autumn in preparation for the winter rather than just sitting back waiting for the gas boiler to ‘fire up’. Hamlet living is my dream, because I like spending time with people who like to work out and refine ways to live a modern life in a sustainable, independent way. I am always experimenting with prototype heating systems and natural building materials. I am not a ‘rainbow warrior’ aspiring to live in a tree but I love the lifestyle associated with near self-sufficiency.
I studied and worked in IT most of my life but was always more interested in architecture and sustainability. When I started my property development activities 12 years ago, it was a natural progression. I make no attempts to hide a strong desire to be the catalyst for the creation of a truly sustainable community, and further develop a shared business with those involved in the community. Retirement for me means working on your own projects at your own pace, mixed with trips out and about for pleasure and inspiration. By the way, I am in my mid-50s so in no way 'out to pasture' or even semi-retired. In fact a hamlet community gives a person a low cost base from which to explore and progress personal and professional goals. I think that many people would choose not to retire, preferring the opportunity to continue doing the things that they like, in a community environment.
You may have seen the Villa Cirio development on this site, there are even a couple of apartments listed for sale. The Villa Cirio project was something I organised and financed myself. I bought a big old wreck and undertook the restoration using contracted labour and a local builder – it was not without problems. I bought it and found buyers during the build before the financial collapse and since then rent out the few remaining as holiday apartments when I can. It is a beautiful place and all apartments different and full of character. But it was this that refocused my mind and my interests towards sustainable construction. When you do a project like Villa Cirio, you realise how so much of the building industry is a mess – inefficient and blinkered to change. Conventional building is just a market for unsustainable products that are processed and shipped around the world!
I'd like to hear from anyone with a shared passion for affordable, sustainable construction and complementary lifestyles. You might even like to contribute relevant material to this site? Natural materials with minimal processing are cheap, applying them to a build in a smart way to achieve high insulation with significant thermal mass is the key. Smart ideas applied with simple methods to reduce 3rd party labour costs is realistic and not a holy grail.
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