The welcome comfort of feeling at home, even when on the move

By Editorial Staff - 21 April 2021

To feel at home and yet be travelling: that is what it is like at the Palazzo Matteotti Aparthotel in Florence, where home meets hotel comfort in a minimalist, welcoming space. Located between Piazzale Donatello and the Giardino della Gherardesca, the neoclassical building’s interior was completely remodeled and transformed into a hospitality structure by Pierattelli Architetture. This Florentine firm was founded in the 1980s by Massimo Pierattelli, who today works with his sons Claudio and Andrea, and a team of 20 professionals.

Palazzo Matteotti’s 600 sq. m spreads over three levels plus an attic. The Florence-based architects redesigned these spaces to maximize functionality and preserve the atmosphere in each space. The renovations were completed in the summer of 2019, after ten months of site work. The historic building was redesigned as six two- and three-bedroom apartments, independent living solutions ranging from 75 to 110 sq. m that offer hotel-level amenities within a space that has a truly domestic savor. Accommodations include bedrooms, a living room and kitchen, with all the amenities a guest could want to make the most of their travel experience. A small garden to the rear of the building offers ground-floor guests an outdoor relaxation area.

“We wanted every apartment to feel like home, to offer guests warmth and familiarity hard to find in a hotel”, says Claudio Pierattelli. He and his practice have been working on this innovative hospitality concept, this combination of comfort and design, for some time now. They have completed a number of major projects of this kind, including M7 Contemporary Apartments, 11 residences created by refurbishing another neoclassical building in the heart of Florence; Domux Home, seven luxury suites set in a historic Florentine palace; and Number Nine Hotel, a hotel carved out of a 17th-century noble residence, a stone’s throw from the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.

The rooms in Palazzo Matteotti are characterized by minimalist, Nordic design, combining tasteful, formally-clean lines with the most elegant accommodation facilities. Furnishings and finishes strike a meticulous balance between formal rigor, natural materials, and touches of color. The designers cater to international taste by combining different styles and evocative features that enhance the large-sized volumes within the pre-existing architecture. Short-slat parquet flooring in the rooms is in dialogue with delicate-colored curtains and the upholstery’s warm pastel shades.

Furnishings feature iconic elements and exotic complements to create a blend that fully showcases the firm’s penchant for the eclectic. White wall surfaces in the bathrooms are juxtaposed against blue-veined travertine, highlighted by black faucets and finishes.

Through Pierattelli Architetture’s design, Palazzo Matteotti embodies a desire to maximize Florence’s history and culture while offering contemporary travelers an authentic experience.

© Iuri Niccolai, courtesy Pierattelli Architetture | Blue-veined travertine bathroom floors and walls juxtapose with white walls and fixtures, and black faucets and accessories.

© Iuri Niccolai, courtesy Pierattelli Architetture | The ground-floor apartment has a small built-in garden, offering guests an additional space for outdoor living.

© Iuri Niccolai, courtesy Pierattelli Architetture | Furnishings and finishes strike a meticulous balance between formal rigor, natural evocations and touches of color.

© Iuri Niccolai, courtesy Pierattelli Architetture

© Iuri Niccolai, courtesy Pierattelli Architetture | A wooden short-slat parquet floor unites the living area and bedrooms.

Location: Florence, Italy
Completion: 2019
Gross Floor Area: 600 m²
Architect and Interior Designer: Pierattelli Architetture
Main Contractor: Generale Servizi

Consultants
Structural: 123 Ingegneria
Electrical and Mechanical: GPA Energy

Photography by Iuri Niccolai, courtesy of Pierattelli Architetture

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