In the San Niccolò district of Florence, the home-loft of Giovanni Polazzi represents the most intimate and stately dimension of the designer, achieving a balance with his own space and identity objects

What represents us best? The spaces in which we live, or the small-big objects that become the companions of our existence, in various ways? It is a misleading question, of course, because each of us has his or her own vision, of a home-museum or a dream house. And because our dreams are personal, like our pleasure taken in things, we might say that the perfect storm happens in the relationship between what can be indicated as background, and what stands out, the desired and desiring object in space. For Giovanni Polazzi, architect and co-founder of the well-known studio Archea Associati, the dilemma has been resolved, here and now, in the choice of living in a loft in Florence, where a few furnishing elements become the true characterizing protagonists of the various zones.

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Entering the apartment, the Pack by Edra, designed by Francesco Binfaré, positioned centrally in front of the Terreria, a long bookcase made with modules of terracotta designed by Archea for Moroso, becomes an informal, playful relaxation zone. In the foreground, a trio of Cicladi tables, designed by Jacopo Foggini, and – in the background – the Chiara chair by Francesco Binfaré, all from the Edra catalogue.

A relaxing space

“I like a home that is not full of a thousand objects and decorations. A relaxing space made of a few items, where it is possible to get away from the overload of embellishments and styles, the assault of images in the chaotic city. I want to live in an environment where I can relax and think, listening to good music, reading a book in silence. A place where I can concentrate,” he explains. A cocoon house, in short. The apartment extends from one side to the other of a block in the San Niccolò district, completed by a small panoramic terrace accessed directly from the main room, with a striking view of the Arno. The dwelling has been entirely reinvented, in a personal way.

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The living area is completed with a large sofa, in a zone set aside for relaxing and watching TV. Ines floor lamp designed by Jacopo Foggini for Edra. On the wall, a work by Jürgen Jansen.

A long loft

“The internal partitions have been eliminated, to get away from the typical layout with a corridor and rooms. The result is a long loft that expands all the way to the eaves, generating a new spatial dimension that is interrupted only by a small raised loft that floats in the two-story volume, to contain the bedroom zone,” the designer continues. “Living in a completely free space, where the walls and finishes are in neutral tones and abundant light enters, also thanks to the large skylights, permits an overall perception of the space from any vantage point, a way of ‘sensing’ the house as a whole. Starting at the entrance, where the Pack by Edra, located at the center in front of a long bookcase made with modules of terracotta, becomes an ideal island of relaxation, for reading a book or listening to music in an informal, comfortable and playful way, stretched out on a big white polar bear.”

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The large Concorde table from Poliform, with top in Calacatta Oro marble, dominates the dining area lit from above by large skylights, along with comfortable upholstered chairs covered in gray velvet: the Blue Velvet model designed by Fernando & Humberto Campana, again for Edra.

Between design and high craftsmanship

In the fluid sequence of zones of the loft, amidst presences of design and fine crafts, the unified space of Giovanni Polazzi is enhanced by other dialogues, beautiful things and emotions. In particular, other iconic furnishings construct a particular idea of domestic life, with dynamic placements, linear and rigorous forms, refined colors, all opening to the encounter with unexpected vistas, projected towards the most evocative points of the Florence skyline.

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From the elevated loft it is possible to take in the entire space, as well as the transparencies provided by the sequence of skylights, while remaining in a pleasingly intimate, private bedroom zone. Stand By Me bed, designed by Francesco Binfaré, Cicladi table by Jacopo Foggini, all by Edra.

Project Archea Associati - Photos Pietro Savorelli

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