Riva Lofts, Florence

Description: Riva Lofts

The small complex of buildings, seen from the Parco delle Cascine just across the river, seems almost like a hamlet from the Tuscan countryside, but in the 19th Century it was a factory, and then a group of artisan workshops, before serving in recent years as the architecture studio of Claudio Nardi, who is himself responsible for this latest transformation into a guest residence in November 2006.

Claudio and his daughter Alice have decided to meld their variegated experiences, tastes, and life-styles to create a place that is open to other influences as well, a home open to modern travelers consisting of a sensitive mixture of materials, settings, furnishings, antique objects, and contemporary architectural details: a cross-sectional landscape for curious minds.

Type of rooms: Riva Lofts

RIVA Lofts consists of 8 studios, each with independent entrance.

The studios differ in size from 30 to 100 square meters (300 to 1000 square feet) as well as in form and layout, some with private terraces, others opening directly onto the garden. A few have panoramic views toward the Parco or toward the imposing and elegant Cupola of Brunelleschi.

The fixtures and furnishings are also fruit of different combinations of deep, warm natural colors and materials, of refined antiques and austere modernist objects, the sentimental trophies of travels, and select contemporary art. All guests have access to the large cross-vaulted sitting room with bookcases and fireplace overlooking the private garden and the metaphysical swimming pool in white sandstone.

Additional information: Riva Lofts