Florence Archive

Libreria Brac, Florence – A hidden love story between art and food

Born from the love of a librarian and a chef, Libreria Brac merges a plant-based kitchen with a library hidden in Florence’s narrow street

Fabiana Boglione

Bjørk, Florence. San Frediano neighborhood between selection and mutation

«The mission was to unite independent publishing, designers and international brands not yet in the spotlight. The essence of the space is based on simplicity and DIY», explains owner Filippo Anzalone

Alessio Foderi

Santa Maria Novella, Florence. A 400 years old perfumery projecting tradition forward

Recently appointed CEO, Gian Luca Perris, talk us through the history and the ethos of 400-year-old perfumery Santa Maria Novella, established in Florence by Dominican monks

Matteo Mammoli

Olfattorio, Florence. The exploration of scent-tasting from champagne flutes

The evolution of niche perfumery that goes beyond mere marketing hype. Olfattorio Florence makes the case for successful brick-and-mortar retailing

Alessia Tu

Fashion Room, Florence. «A modern day newsagent kiosk for hard to find fashion magazines»

With branches near the main Florence fair centre and the textile district in Prato, Fashion Room caters for both fashion students and professionals

Enrico Chhibber

Numeroventi, Florence. A new form for the artist’s residence

The artist’s residence born from an idea of Martino Di Napoli Rampolla, is a place of hospitality and artistic sharing

Alessandro Mariani

Stibbert, Florence. An inherited home that blurs the boundaries between romanticism and Japan

Frederick Stibbert was an illegitimate son and a millionaire who amassed a collection that was a forerunner of D’Annunzio. From Egypt to the Alhambra: Monica Becattini talks about his home-museum

Cesare Cunaccia

Ora d’Aria, Florence. Where a library can find its place in a Michelin restaurant

Concocting a mixture of gastronomy, books and design, chef Marco Stabile represents his region while keeping up with the pace of progress

Alessio Foderi

Dimora Palanca, Florence. A 19th century renaissance villa in Santa Maria Novella

Segments of the villa were brought back to life: «The architects worked very closely with the artisans – they wanted to bring the building as close as possible to what it originally was»

Chetna Chopra

SoprArno Suites, Florence. Preserving heritage by rediscovering the city’s outskirts

The founders’ goal is to contribute to the safeguard of Florence’s architectural capital by adhering to the principles of ethical tourism

Gregorio Zanacchi Nuti

Villa La Massa Hotel, Candeli. A hayloft turned into bistrot, a windmill converted to restaurant

A twenty-acre Tuscan oasis tucked between the river Arno and the Chianti hills where guests experience the countryside in a renovated agricultural structure

Giulia Giudici

Helvetia & Bristol, Florence. When the hôtellerie becomes an expression of the zeitgeist

What was once the home of the traveling Italian aristocracy, and of the international elite who included Florence among the essential stops on their Grand Tour, now under the aegis of Starhotels Group it has been dusted off and renovated

Matteo Mammoli

Museo Villoresi, Florence. A multisensory journey into the world of perfumes

Catherine de Medici and her personal perfumer, Renato Bianco, brought the tradition of using aromatic blends to the French court in the early Renaissance

Veronika Dzhioeva

Il Tornabuoni, Florence. A Renaissance palazzo has reincarnated

Long-lasting materials with less maintenance are used as a means of sustainable design. Sandstone, brass, leather and terra cotta were sourced from the neighbouring villages in the Tuscan region

Chetna Chopra

Daniele Rossi, Florence. How a restorer works

Sienna brown, rabbit skin glue, gold leaf for the gold background, cloaks of saints and of the Madonna – the tools, techniques, and love of art in the works of Daniele Rossi

Cesare Cunaccia