In July this year we were fortunate to end a few weeks of travel by staying at an architecturally designed Masseria in the heart of Puglia, Southern Italy. Designed by Andrew Trotter, editor of the beautiful Open House magazine, Masseria Moroseta (MM) sits like a mirage among a valley of hundred year old Olive Trees. MM has exploded on social media since it opened last year, and rightfully so . . . it is stunning! But there is something about visiting this Masseria, about standing in it's shadows, and among the olive trees that give you so much more than a photograph ever could.
The guesthouse is a totally enveloping experience that pleases all of your senses, from what you see, hear, taste and do, MM is the pinnacle of what good design can, and should make you feel. At the time, and still now, our stay felt like a dream. It is a space so well designed that it has the ability to transform your way of thinking, and being. Design so effective that you are at once inspired by something new, but feel completely content. Architecture like this encourages you to live a bit more thoughtfully, tread a little lighter, slow down and manifest ideas.
Our favourite time of day was as the sun set behind the distant 'white city' of Ostuni, and a soft pink glow fell upon the white walls of the building and the people within it. A stillness would surround the grounds as life inside the Masseria truly slowed. Gin and tonics would be poured and quiet conversations with partners and strangers spoke of ideas and stories brought about from the space of this grounding Masseria.
