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Within walking distance of the centuries-old Ponte Vecchio, in a historic factory complex along the Arno river, is hidden a rare modern Florentine oasis. For the past two years, renowned local architect Claudio Nardi has been slowly reinventing his own spacious architecture studio as Riva Lofts, the city's most stunning and, for Florence at least, avant-garde boutique hotel. It was more of an eccentric personal vision than a business idea. For years, Nardi, along with his well-travelled daughter, Alice, had a dream to create what she described as a 'home for guests' in Florence, where like-minded travellers with a love of 20th- and 21st-century design could meet. 'Florence isn't known for its openness to modernity,' says Alice. 'We were bored with that and we wanted to create a place where friends and visitors could exchange ideas.' |
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The result is a showcase of nine unique suites set in a small complex of stone buildings. Each suite (from 30 to 100 sq m in size) is custom-designed by Nardi and fitted out with his impressive and eclectic collection of midcentury furniture and antiques. Throughout the hotel, Nardi, who is best known for his luxury fashion boutiques (such as his stores for Dolce & Gabbana in New York and Milan), has seamlessly and poetically combined old and contemporary elements. In the lounge, for example, where guests can take breakfast, relax and read by a sleek contemporary fireplace, Nardi has smartly juxtaposed several Mies van der Rohe-designed armchairs and a polished tropical wood table he designed himself against a raw stone wall. |
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Several of the property's minimalist kitchens (all but one of the suites have kitchens) feature glossy counters made of both natural wood and Corian. Wallpaper's favourite suite is No 7, which features artwork by Australian contemporary artist Simon Miller, several superb pieces of early 20th-century furniture and a king-size bed that is half-obscured by a sensual curtain created from polyester-fibre strings. Although Nardi and his daughter have advertised Riva Lofts through word of mouth alone, the property (which opened at the end of last year) has already been attracting the international design set. 'It was full of fashion people here for the Pitti Immagine fashion fair, and we've already had several art exhibitions and design-related events,' says Alice. 'And then, of course, there are all my father's architecture friends. It's been a full house almost since the beginning.' |
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RIVAlofts è costituito da 9 suites con ingresso indipendente (8 delle quali con cucina), tutte diverse tra loro per dimensione, tra i 30 e i 100mq, forma e disposizione: ora con terrazza privata, ora con affaccio diretto sul giardino, ora con vista panoramica verso il Parco o verso la possente ed elegante Cupola di Brunelleschi. Anche le finiture e gli arredi sono frutto di combinazioni sempre diverse tra colori e materiali naturali, caldi, profondi, e oggetti di antiquariato e modernariato, bottino sentimentale dei "viaggi", e arte del nostro tempo, design moderno e contemporaneo, raffinato e austero. A disposizione degli ospiti un ampio salone con volte a crociera, libreria e grande camino affacciato, attraverso una grande vetrata, sul giardino privato e sulla metafisica piscina in pietra arenaria bianca. |
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(Euros) Daily Rates |
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On Request |
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"Riva Lofts Hotel",
Florence, Tuscany
Italy.