The Municipality of Arzachena is determined to acquire the "Ville Jacques Couëlle Monti Mannu" property, a 30,000-square-meter complex in the village of Abbiadori, comprising three residential units. The villas were built in the 1960s by French architect Jacques Couëlle, a pioneer of the Costa Smeralda style, who combined organic forms, local materials, and respect for the environment, creating a unique and recognizable architectural language.
The request was forwarded to the National Agency for the Administration and Disposal of Assets Seized and Confiscated from Organized Crime. For the Costa Smeralda Museum project, to be built on that site, a feasibility study was prepared, coordinated by architect Mario Chiodino, director of the Territorial Planning Department of the Municipality of Arzachena, and the Heritage Office, in collaboration with the Alghero-based Artek Design studio.
"We want to return to the community a property of extraordinary architectural and symbolic value, freed from crime, and transform it into a place of culture, memory, and legality," said Mayor Roberto Ragnedda. "The application document includes exhibition spaces dedicated to the history of the Costa Smeralda, conference rooms, educational activities and workshops, a bookshop, and a café. This initiative is part of the city administration's broader strategy to enhance the destination through culture and the diversification of tourism, attracting year-round visitors and creating new economic and employment opportunities."
