F
ive years ago when Franco
Bergamaschi and his
wife Daniela first viewed
Cascina La Folla it was
like walking into a fairy tale. Hidden in
the lush woodland of the Parco dellâAdda
nature reserve an area of outstanding
natural beauty just south east of Milan the
abandoned farmstead had been reclaimed by
the land on which it stood.
Uninhabited for over 30 years and all
but forgotten the 19th-century farmhouse
was smothered with vines and brambles;
the roofs had collapsed and grass and
shrubs were growing through flagstonesABOVE LEFT
The living room is
furnished with country
pieces from France
and Italy and includes
a traditional Provenal
cupboard dating from
the early 1900s. The
antique bergères have
been reupholstered. A
campaign tripod lamp
has been reconditioned
to create an unusual
and eye-catching
light sourceand floorboards. Outside the garden was
overgrown and the surrounding farmland
which hadnât been worked for many years
had become a virtual wilderness.
It was clear from the outset that making
Cascina La Folla habitable once more wasnât
going to be a simple renovation project. Not
only was the building completely derelict but
its location within the nature reserve meant
that any works would require two sets of
approval one from the municipality of Lodi
and another from the parks authority âa
potential bureaucratic nightmare that would
send most would-be buyers of a more lily-
livered constitution running for the hills.70 H&A SUMMER 2017