“Il Podere Grande di Colle Ramole,” a remote site once owned by the renowned Renaissance Ghirlandaio family, now stands abandoned. Located near Impruneta, south of Florence, the name Impruneta derives from a Latin term meaning "within the pine woods." This area is rich in local materials; the soil is particularly well-suited for producing strong, durable clay in its characteristic burnt orange color (terracotta). Olive trees, vineyards, fields, and groves of oak and cypress extend for miles in an endless landscape. I am beginning to grasp the historical significance of this building, which will inform a successful program and restoration design.