Located in the old southern Italian village of Padula, the Ortus Artis project creates a heavenly garden, an image of that perfect faraway place that we all dream of. Contrasting the common European notion of bringing southern culture and ambience to the north, as we do, for example, with architecture and design, the concept introduces northern qualities to the place — the perfect-lawn paths come from the classic design of traditional English gardens, while the mist diffused through the space creates a feeling of cool northern air. 

The work realized in creating an ideal vision at this site delivered a combination of monastic and horticultural austerity. The focus on the essential aspects of space leads back to the basic idea of a cloistered courtyard – introspection. The clearing of the dense tree population, as well as the ingrown ruderal flora, made it possible to emphasize the conciseness of the monastery’s architecture and the characteristic, pit-like frames in the courtyard, creating a heavenly clean space and providing a view of the city. 

Finally, the thorough cleaning of the site enabled a simple yet unusual treatment of the surfaces; the courtyard space and the pit area were covered with a perfect lawn, a carpet which, with its minimal decorative aspects and reserved colour, underlined the peaceful atmosphere of the location – a transcendental catharsis to arrive at pure ideal. A gentle foggy mist diffused through the purged space saturated the pure green colour of the courtyard and offered the visitors a refreshing atmosphere.

This project took place within the framework of the annual art event “Ortus Artis” organized by studio eu.