Albergo Diffuso as a model of original hospitality and sustainable development of small historical villages

This paper fits within the wider context related to the definition of restoration strategies and models, and revitalization of small historical towns and villages, focusing on touristic use and on the Albergo Diffuso (AD) model. This latter, in its functional elements, includes solutions to solve degeneration and gradual depopulation problems, typical in these cases, by enhancing both tangible and intangible resources. The purpose of this research study was to verify, about 20 years after the first implementations, to what extent and by means of what type of intervention the AD model influenced regeneration processes of historical villages and refunctionalization of reused building heritage. By means of an exploratory investigation and an in situ monitoring activity, it was possible to outline an initial measurement of both direct and indirect results following the application of ADs. The activities confirmed the virtuosity of the model and identified both critical issues and strong points, directly connected to the type of users and to the sustainability features of the interventions