Reimagining the Tired Tuscan Tale
How do you shape the ambitious vision of a Norwegian entrepreneur and his Italian wife to develop a different kind of lifestyle estate in northern Tuscany?
During 2017, Luxury Branding developed the concept and branding for a mixed-use destination that was about giving birth to and fostering a more harmonious way of living with a wholly authentic Tuscan lifestyle.
The tired Tuscan tale needed reinvigorating with a deliberately more progressive view of Italian hospitality: old wine in new bottles, if you like. A place that extols the best of Italian living or ‘La Vita Paesana’ while elevating the experience to new levels for Italy through contemporary amenities and activations.
We developed a comprehensive experience system that brings the idea of ‘Toscana Semplicemente’ to life vividly for residents, guests and visitors alike.
At the heart of the site is an extensive ancient forest, which is notable for a large central clearing into which pours a very special quality of light. Intrigued and not a little enchanted with this special place and its unique genius loci, we were reminded of Dante’s Divine Comedy. Inspired by the phrase “una selva oscura” (a shadowed forest), we reappropriated this most authentic and famous Tuscan literally source and named the estate ‘La Selva Chiara’ (The Forest of Light). Rich in meaning and in relevance both to the project itself and the culture of its environment.
We then developed a contemporary brand identity for the destination which refrained from the traditional clichés of Tuscan crests and antique serifs.
The result is a destination with a distinct and enduring identity. A place that salutes the simple pleasures of Tuscany with more dynamism.