In the agricultural plain In Fourchon, a few kilometers from Arles, the Casa Ideale, which stands out from traditional Provençal houses, opens its doors offering a sensational hotel and gastronomic concept.
Casa Ideale (also known as Villa Bank) is a house whose richness surpasses all expectations. Behind its convex walls, a completely new concept in hospitality shines brightly in the Provence region. For the Rencontres de la Photographie d'Arles, the villa is exceptionally opening its doors.
Built between 1971 and 1973 by architect Émile Sala for the Bank family, the house was long considered a place of sharing. Lacking straight walls, it opens generously to the outside through numerous openings that connect the different spaces. Like a Wunderkammer , or "cabinet of wonders" in German, the villa forms an architectural ensemble that interprets the codes of a cabinet of curiosities. Under the name "Casa Ideale," Luca Pronzato, founder of WE ARE ONA, is launching a hybrid hospitality concept here, blending accommodation, design, gastronomy, and cultural programming. From the furniture and music to the photographs displayed on the walls, a completely new perspective on art is accessible from July to October, by reservation. The project has partnered with the Fondazione Sozzani, founded by Carla Sozzani, to transform the space into a showcase for a selection of photographs from its collection, coinciding with the Rencontres d'Arles photography festival. On the other hand, in the villa's garden, WE ARE ONA organizes a series of exclusive dinners in a spirit of sharing and meeting.
WE ARE ONA and its founder Luca Pronzato are celebrating with Casa Ideale a brand-new concept that brings together life's little pleasures in the heart of an extraordinary Arlesian villa. For this inaugural edition, the group is offering a hotel and pop-up restaurant within the walls of the iconic building, with Chef Gil Nogueira at the helm of the kitchen. WE ARE ONA has firmly established itself in urban culture by offering culinary experiences centered around exclusive dinners in unique locations around the world, providing a cuisine rich in flavors that draws inspiration from the specific expertise of the chefs hosted and the regions explored. By traveling internationally, this creative culinary movement has become an important gastronomic reference, notably accompanying the major cultural events of our time. Having first presented in Arles in 2022 and then again in 2025, the agency is taking a further step by transforming the villa into a haven of hospitality for the opening week of the Rencontres d'Arles photography festival. Each day, new guests inhabited the space and lived to the rhythm of the cicadas, discovering the house, the garden, and the pool. The concept highlighted here is a unique way to explore the villa and its hidden corners while sharing warm moments with other guests. Celebrating sharing and connection, Casa Ideale perfectly embodies the convivial spirit of WE ARE ONA, which resonates with the sounds of the South.
Just a ten-minute drive from Arles, the villa emerges from its private seclusion to open its doors to Downtown+, Luna Laffanour's gallery, which has meticulously selected collector's furniture for the property's common areas, such as Philippe Starck's Romantica chair , seating by Joseph Savina, and the famous Feltri armchair by Gaetano Pesce. The rooms were already furnished in a distinctly eclectic and vintage style, exemplified by the iconic 1970s DS-600 sofa by Berger, Peduzzi, Vogt & Ulrich, designed for the luxury furniture brand De Sede. Spanning 350 square meters, the property offers five spacious and tranquil bedrooms, as well as a terrace overlooking the swimming pool.
The exhibition "Prologue" brings together 67 photographs from Carla Sozzani's collection, selected by Maddalena Scarzella, curator of the Fondazione Sozzani. Hung on all the walls of the house, they engage in a dialogue with the architecture and furnishings, transforming the living spaces into veritable "vision rooms." Conceived as a tribute to Carla Sozzani's values—femininity, the importance of observation, the tenderness of intimacy, and the fragile authenticity of life—this photographic anthology in black and white evokes a diverse range of stories. Carla Sozzani amassed a large collection of photographs throughout her life, beginning in the 1980s, illustrating her personal perspective on the representation of contemporary dynamics. A major figure in the Italian publishing and cultural scene, she directed the Italian edition of Vogue and later launched the Italian edition of Elle magazine , which she eventually left to preserve her creative integrity in the face of advertisers. As part of Casa Ideale, she promotes the spontaneity and irregularity of life's paths through an installation that has neither beginning nor end.
Like the Fondazione Sozzani, Casa Ideale promotes an intergenerational culture shaped by diverse perspectives. Art, photography, product design, and gastronomy are showcased within a unique hospitality project. By abolishing all disciplinary boundaries, the themes explored in this experience are multidisciplinary. At the heart of this organic and mysterious architecture, the project's spirit is to freely celebrate the diverse dynamics that shape our life experiences.
Villa Bank – Casa Ideale
915, Chemin de la Batelle, Arles
