Eco Village is a project by the architectural studio RamosCastellano and an example of regenerative tourism.
Santo Antão is a small island in Cape Verde. It is located in a volcanic environment and surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, some 500 km from Senegal. In this environment of privileged landscapes, eight years ago a German tourism agency commissioned the RamosCastellano architecture studio to develop a real estate project. This space has become the Eco Village, an ecological village powered by solar energy.
Exterior of the villas, surrounded by mountains and sea. Editorial credit: Sergio Pirrone.
The project is located on a five-hectare site by the sea, and is a sustainable settlement with a focus on agriculture and community integration. It includes fourteen double rooms, four villas, a restaurant and a lounge, as well as infrastructures such as a photovoltaic field, water tanks and a well. In addition, the architectural firm has promoted the transformation of barren land into fertile plots where vegetables and fruit are grown. This has improved the local availability of food, reducing prices and creating new social links by encouraging collaboration between communities. In other words, promoting the circular economy.
A dialogue between architecture and nature
Another important factor in the Eco Village project is the dialogue between architecture and the natural environment. Locally sourced materials such as basalt stone, sand and gravel were used to create walls that harness thermal inertia, allowing temperature control without the need for air conditioning.
Interior of one of the villas. Editorial credit: Sergio Pirrone.
Also, to cope with the scarcity of rainfall on the island, water is drawn from a well and desalinated by solar-powered pumps. Importantly, a grey water recycling system irrigates the surrounding vegetation using a drop-by-drop gravity system. All these features reduce the ecological footprint and ensure that water is managed sustainably.
A model of regenerative tourism
The Eco Village project embodies a model of tourism centred on cooperation and fair exchange, thus rejecting the traditional resort model.
Central to this model is the collaboration with local people. Therefore, all interiors and furnishings were custom-made by local artisans, distributing the economy within the community and empowering residents to participate in future projects.
In short, Eco Village is a project that exemplifies very well how tourism can go hand in hand with respect for the environment, promoting a circular economy and enhancing the values of the local community.
