Collidanielarchitetto and VYTA SANTA MARGHERITA

Architect Daniela Colli from Collidanielarchitetto operated inside the Santa Maria Novella railway station in Florence, a masterpiece of Italian rationalism designed by Giovanni Michelucci in the 1930s. Her project - “La Bakery” - is an iconic response to a historical backdrop.



It's no easy task to create a contemporary, branded venue in a historical context. And things get even more complicated when that context - in this case the former first class waiting room in the Santa Maria Novella train station in Florence - is a masterpiece of Italian rationalism and a listed building, to boot! 





Daniela Colli, principal of the architecture firm Collidanielarchitetto, took up the challenge and designed a VyTA brand bakery inside the former waiting room with great respect, exploiting the details of the original area to create distinguished premises with timeless charm. She kept the original wood panelling and the timber beam ceiling and antique glass lamps in the waiting room “in order to provide a unique experience for customers, while at the same time embodying the identity of the brand”. 





When Daniela Colli adds other elements to meet the requirements of the new end use, she adopts fine materials that blend in with the spirit of the location. The eye-catching polished golden-pink copper L-shaped element housing the wiring and lighting of the counter plays a major role in softening the masculine vibe. It acts like a stage backdrop to turn a simple, walk-in, walk-out bakery-cum-café into a place that buzzes with a special light



So VyTA Santa Margherita beckons you for a croissant to dunk in your cappuccino and to dive head first into the unique atmosphere of this architectural structure, where all the time that past passengers spent waiting left memories and emotions that Daniela Colli has embraced and incorporated into her design. 

Christiane Bürklein

Project: Daniela Colli, www.collidaniela.com
Location: Santa Maria Novella, Florence, Italy
Year: 2016
Client: www.vyta.it
Images: © Matteo Piazza, www.matteopiazza.com