L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JULY 23, 2015 www.italoamericano.org 13 L'Italo-Americano Civita di Bagnoregio is one of the most beautiful hill towns in Italy. Located about 60 miles north of Rome, this stunning gem has escaped the modern age mostly because of its topogra- phy. No cars are allowed and there are only 12 full-time resi- d e n t s . I t s b u i l d i n g s , p u b l i c spaces and overall ambience retain much of their centuries- old flair. The Civita Institute, head- quartered in Seattle, Wash., has b e e n p r e s e r v i n g t h e t o w n ' s architecture, history, culture and way of life for four decades. F o r m e r l y k n o w n a s t h e N o r t h w e s t I n s t i t u t e f o r Architecture and Urban Studies in Italy, the organization was initially created to involve the professional community in the Italian studies program offered b y t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f W a s h i n g t o n ' s C o l l e g e o f A r c h i t e c t u r e a n d U r b a n Planning. Its co-founders were architect Astra Zarina, a native of Latvia and former UW pro- fessor who died in 2008, and her h u s b a n d A n t h o n y C o s t a Heywood, also an architect. In 2006, the Institute helped a d d C i v i t a t o t h e W o r l d Monuments Fund's "100 most endangered places." Two years later, the group hosted an influ- ential international symposium in Civita on geologic sustain- ability. Recently, the Institute has expanded its offerings of fel- lowships, residencies and cross- cultural programming. We sat down recently with J i m C o r e y , p r e s i d e n t o f t h e Civita Institute, and long-time supporter Mark Drexler to learn more about the organization, its roots and its plans for the future. More than 40 years ago, Astra Zarina began taking a few students to Italy to study a r c h i t e c t u r e . H o w d i d t h i s modest beginning grow into the Civita Institute? (Jim Corey): Astra initiated the UW's Architecture in Rome program in 1970. A few years later, she added a course on I t a l i a n h i l l t o w n s , b a s e d i n Civita. She and Tony owned a house in Civita and over the years, they bought and restored several other buildings there. She worked closely with the l o c a l s , t e a c h i n g t h e m h o w important it is to protect and preserve the old ways of doing things. (Mark Drexler): Astra and h e r p e r s o n a l c o n n e c t i o n t o Civita are what make our orga- nization unique. Our programs are not about tourism but about cultural immersion, learning, research and sustainability. How important was Astra's influence on Civita? (JC): Without Astra, Civita would be a very different place. When she first moved there, many buildings were not occu- pied. There was no water, no central heating. She had the first functional bathroom in town. She promoted restoration but was also determined to hold onto traditions. In 2013, we took ownership of six buildings there. Three a p a r t m e n t s a n d a s t u d i o a r e available to rent so people can have an authentic experience. The apartments are rustic but beautifully preserved with chest- nut beams, brick walls and old art, yet with modern bathrooms and kitchens. How can I take advantage o f w h a t y o u r o r g a n i z a t i o n offers? ( J C ) : J o i n t h e C i v i t a Institute! We offer several ways to live and study in Civita. One is a residency where you can rent one of our apartments for $1,200/month for up to three months. It's perfect for artists, writers, photographers. The resi- dencies have two important com- ponents: they'll have a huge impact on your life, and they help us maintain ties with the locals. We also offer three fellow- s h i p s e a c h y e a r , a w a r d e d through a competitive process. O u r f e l l o w s h a v e c o n d u c t e d s o m e a m a z i n g a n d o r i g i n a l research. One couple wrote a middle-school curriculum on Roman history; another, a chil- dren's book on the Middle Ages. Others have researched herbs used in local recipes or docu- mented color variations in the tufa stone. What is surprising is the amount of invention that happens along the way. You think you have your research project figured out, but you get there and things change. Civita changes you. What do the locals think a b o u t y o u r i n v o l v e m e n t i n their town? (JC): The locals loved Astra! Her husband Tony still lives t h e r e . T h e y r e a l i z e t h a t o u r group brings in people who want to learn and engage with them. It's a boost economically, too. We have also amassed a wealth of information about Civita's culture and history and we are busy archiving these materials to share worldwide. ( M D ) : I n 1 9 7 6 a s a University of Washington archi- tecture major, I helped plan the r e s t o r a t i o n o f a s c h o o l i n Civita's main piazza. During my stay, I knew everyone and was completely immersed in their lives, even worked in the fields with them. I return to Civita often to keep the legacy of Astra alive. It's a magical place! What do you see as a major issue facing Civita these days? (JC): The city gets busloads of day-trippers, as many as 3,000 a day. The local government has done a fantastic job of stabilizing the cliffs on which Civita perch- es but maybe we need to start a discussion on cultural stabiliza- tion, to explore how this influx of tourists may affect the town's future. I've already noticed you have to lock your doors now, otherwise tourists walk right in. What's next for the Civita Institute? ( J C ) : W e a r e l o o k i n g f o r more organizations to partner with―colleges, retreat centers, cross-cultural groups―and we want to offer more education programs or symposiums. We b e l i e v e w e c o u l d a l s o b e a resource for the Italian govern- m e n t d u r i n g t h e a p p l i c a t i o n process to get Civita named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. T o l e a r n m o r e : V i s i t t h e Civita Institute at http://www. niausi.com/1/home.html. Jim Corey (left) with Maurizio Rocchi whose family has lived in Civita for generations and own Alma Civita Restaurant there RITA CIPALLA Seattle's Civita Institute helps preser ve a hill town's unique way of life Astra Zarina in Civita 1960s. photo credit NIAUSI Civita Studio. Photo credit Jim Corey

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