Tobacco Factory of Florence presents Zeniththe new residential project designed by the international architecture firm Quincoces Dragò & Partners led by David Lopez and Fanny Bauer Grung. In the iconic building that gives access to the new contemporary district of Florence they will find space 34 new housing units that combine industrial heritage and sophisticated design.
Extending over an area of 4,800 m2, plus 1,530 m2 of rooftops, loggia gardens and terraces, the redevelopment project preserves and enhances the original architecture, reworking it in a contemporary and sustainable way. The architects of the Quincoces Dragò & Partners studio have in fact chosen to preserve the characteristic features of the building – the imposing volumes, the exposed reinforced concrete structures, the large windows – introducing highly topical elements through design choices based on comfort and to elegance. In most, the apartments are equipped with private loggia gardens and terraces and enjoy a privileged view of the restored industrial complex, the historic center of Florence and the surrounding hills.
Future residents of Zenit will have at their disposal numerous amenities accessible exclusivelyincluding a fitness room, a workshop equipped for bicycle maintenance, a pet room dedicated to the care of pets and a condominium rooftop furnished of approximately 400 m2.
Zenit follows the launch, in 2022, of Anilla and Puro (45 units in total), currently being completed in buildings 7 and 12 and designed respectively by the award-winning designer Patricia Urquiola and the Florentine studio q-bic.
Thus continues the ambitious redevelopment plan promoted by the real estate company of the Cassa Depositi e Prestiti Group and by Aermont Capital with the coordination of MTDM – Manifattura Tabacchi Development Management Srl, which provides for the recovery, by 2026, of the city’s historic industrial area, for a total of approximately 110,000 m2 transformed into commercial and office spaces, cultural and training spaces, residential areas, hospitality and public green areas.
“Manifattura Tabacchi is progressively transformed into a new, lively neighborhood protagonist of Florentine social and economic life,” he stated Michelangelo Giombini, CEO of Mtdm, during the presentation of the new residential project. “Zenit is an important stage in this journey, because it perfectly represents the synthesis of tradition and cutting-edge design and promotes a quality lifestyle, putting care for the environment and people first. Our objective is to create a model of sustainable and scalable urban regeneration, demonstrating that it is possible to develop by re-functionalizing historical architecture – in this case the factory built by Pier Luigi Nervi in the 1930s -, choosing to conserve rather than demolish, to enhance the green spaces and offer the community of residents, professionals, students and tourists a stimulating environment from an architectural, cultural and professional point of view”.
Work on the Zenit project is expected to be completed by March 2026. The new residences are already available for purchase in the experiential marketing suite activated on the ground floor of Building 4, in Manifattura Tabacchi.
For the marketing of the housing units, the partnership is renewed with Savills, an international company founded in 1855 and today one of the world leaders in the sector in the buying and selling of properties. The works were entrusted to a temporary association of companies between the companies Raggi Costruzioni e Restauri Srl and Intec Srl
The residential project
Zenit is spread over the two wings of the entrance building to Manifattura Tabacchi which housed the management, offices and accommodation of the ancient factory. Built between 1936 and 1940, the building with its distinctive curvilinear shape is characterized by a monumental portaldecorated by original bas-reliefs created by the sculptor Francesco Coccia. A historical heritage that becomes an integral part of the project’s identity, right from the name: Zenit is in fact one of the brands of cigarettes that were once produced in the tobacco factory. An emblematic term, which contains and passes on the original spirit of the place.
The central portion of the building was acquired by the Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze Foundation and will house the headquarters of the European Research Infrastructure for Heritage Science (E-RIHS), a new European hub for research on Cultural Heritage created in collaboration with the CNR.
The Quincoces Dragò & Partners architecture studio enhances the industrial character of the place through a sophisticated and contemporary language, which recalls the stylistic codes of the former factory, updating them in a contemporary residential context. Within the complex 34 units have been created with different housing solutionsfrom the duplex compact to bright apartments on a only levelcome on lofts with garden loggia ad large two-room apartments with panoramic terrace.
The apartments on the ground floor are on two levels, thanks to the exceptional height of the spaces of the original rooms which allowed the creation of a new mezzanine floor; the living area extends outside into welcoming covered gardens or terraces for exclusive use. The homes on the first floor, arranged on a single level, are equipped with large private panoramic outdoor areas created on the roof, which are accessed from the living area via a spiral staircase.
Zenit enjoys privileged views: the Ciminiera courtyard and Piazza Emanuela Loi (also known as Piazza del Teatro), symbolic places of the renewal of Manifattura Tabacchi intended to host large green areas and cultural activities; the skyline of Florence with Brunelleschi’s dome, Giotto’s bell tower and Palazzo Vecchio not far away; the cultivated fields of the Agricultural Institute, the Cascine park and the green hills.
“The recovery and transformation project of the former industrial spaces of Manifattura Tabacchi is the result of a careful and precise balance between the preservation of the existing historical elements and the introduction of contemporary motifs functional to its new and changed intended use”, they declared David Lopez Quincoces And Fanny Bauer Grung. “The scrupulous attention given to the preservation of original elements, the creation of new spaces and the integration of modern technology reflects a comprehensive and thoughtful approach to renovation and design. The traces of the industrial past integrate with the new residence, as if seeking a kinship, a bond with the place. The old factories become an integral part of the new residences, a symbol of continuity and belonging to the territory. The result is a delicate balance between contemporary elements and highly historicized elements. A prudent choice aware of the critical issues of the context.”
Inspired by the warm and earthy nuances of tobacco, the color palette is an explicit homage to the original production function of the former Tabacchi Factory. The walls and ceilings are covered in a cream-colored shade, which conveys a sense of refined well-being; the oak wood floors, in the “toasted” finish of fermented or aged tobaccos, contribute to strengthening the enveloping atmosphere of the spaces; some examples of internal stairs, a distinctive element of interior design, are made of black metal, a material that acts as the common thread in all Manifattura Tabacchi buildings. Natural light spreads throughout the spaces through the large windows.
Inside the Zenit residences, the finishes will be customizable between two different moods, both characterized by the highest quality materials and Made in Italy furnishings supplied by excellent partners. The furnishing solutions proposed in the Quincoces Dragò & Partners concept were selected by mixing contemporary elements and signature pieces, natural nuances and brushstrokes of brighter colours. The result is an impeccable balance between industrial soul and residential vocation, in which each element contributes to conveying a sensation of harmony and warmth.
Zenit is designed following the highest ESG and environmental sustainability requirements and is a candidate to obtain the Breeam Excellent environmental certification. All apartments, in Class A1 or higher, will be equipped with cutting-edge technological systems and rainwater recovery and recycling systems.
Even the greenery is designed to ensure environmentally friendly management. The constant dialogue between interiors and exteriors, architecture and greenery, is in fact one of the cornerstones of the entire landscape project of Manifattura Tabacchi, which bears the signature of architect Antonio Perazzi. Quincoces Dragò & Partners created private gardens and terraces for almost all the residential units in Zenit, as well as a large communal garden on the roof of the building.
Among Manifattura Tabacchi’s partner design companies for the materials and furnishings of the residences, for Zenit: Zoo Design, Boffi, Lema, Garbelotto, Marazzi, Cebos Color, Gradinetti, Flaminia and Vimar.
