Rural Architecture in Calabria: the Example of the Stabilimento degli Insiti

This essay aims to investigate the composition and evolution of rural factories in Calabria, specifically in the Sibari Plain in the province of Cosenza. The area in question is a concrete example of a thriving centre for agricultural production, especially for the olive oil production chain, which has shaped the cultural and economic life of the region over time, allowing for the enhancement of the land and encouraging the colonisation of new territories. Starting from an analysis of the production chain, the study focuses on a historical and critical interpretation of the typological and structural conformation of the factories, which is inevitably linked to their functional requirements. The Stabilimento degli Insiti, located in the municipality of Corigliano-Rossano, is taken as an emblematic example of rural heritage. The study of the ancient oil mill has highlighted numerous invariant typological and technological features. The complex, which is part of a wider survey and analysis of structures used for olive oil production, bears witness to the presence in the area of an architectural heritage that has been little studied and appreciated. The essay aims to draw attention to the importance of protecting a historical architectural heritage of great value, which preserves the stratification of signs and languages and is the fruit of local identity.