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San Marco dei Cavoti

  Community School

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Rooted in Heritage, Growing the Future

This development mission is born from both heritage and vision. Our founder Danny's great-grandfather was born in San Marco dei Cavoti, and today the family is returning to give new life to the town’s abandoned buildings and create opportunities for local youth.

With more than 25 years of experience in culinary, hospitality, design and construction Danny now lives with his wife and son in Austin,Texas, where they connect cultures through:

       Tourism bringing travelers into authentic experiences

       Import/export connecting the region’s ingredients and products with international markets

       Advanced design and Project Management harnessing innovations like laser fabrication and digital               modeling to transform vision into an education and cultural hub.

At its heart, the San Marco Community School is a bridge: connecting the traditions of our Italian hometown with the international hospitality, tourism, and cultural networks we’ve cultivated in Costa Rica, India, Indonesia, New York, Florida, California and now our homebase in Austin, Texas. By blending education, tourism, import/export, and sustainable innovation, we aim to preserve San Marco’s traditions while creating global opportunities for its people and establishing a world-class destination for artists, students, and travelers.

   Programs

  • Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management – culinary for the commercial kitchen and hotel/tourism management schools

  • English for Hospitality (ESL) – language skills tailored for tourism careers.

  • IT & Digital Fabrication – AI, cybersecurity, 3D printing, and laser cutting labs.       with full scholarships for surrounding residents.

  • Italian Language & Culinary Tourism – immersive language + food experiences.

  • Artist & Film Residencies – led by an Emmy-award winning, international faculty. 

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Fortlandia 2023  Peoples Choice Award

Austin Design Lab received the unique opportunity to design and build a ‘Mars Base,’ an exhibit visited by over 100,000 people, for the University of Texas’s Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s annual event Fortlandia. The installation received overwhelming community support and was honored with the People’s Choice Award.

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Artists Rendition

Costa Rican

 Urban Forest Retreat

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