A building of historical significance – one that has stood the test of time, living and breathing through different functions and under various caretakers – not only captivates its viewers through the eyes but through the stories that echo around its walls. Evidence of the hands that have carved, sculpted, plastered and decorated its features unfold one by one, as the imagination quickly begins to fill the gaps of time.
For architect and designer Luigi Fragola, it was the stillness of Villa San Michele in the hills above Florence that first struck him as he walked through the 15th century estate. “What fascinated me was the silence – that silence of places that have truly lived,” he says. Based locally, Fragola is well versed in the deep craft roots of Tuscany and has spent the last two years working on the immaculate restoration of the hotel, drawing on local makers and specialists throughout the region to bring his vision to life.
Through the ornate façade of the Villa, attributed to the school of Michelangelo, layers of features added through the centuries remain on show, telling the stories of how these spaces were lived in as it was passed down to different owners. As a designer, working on such storied buildings is an exercise of limitation, where creativity is truly put to the test. “The greatest challenge was resisting the urge to add, to improve,” says Fragola. The reimagined rooms and suites take cues from Tuscan craftsmanship, together with the colours of the Renaissance terraced gardens, abundant with flora and fauna.
Within the interiors, rich Rubelli fabrics and colour-blocked upholstery sit alongside stripes in yellows and terracotta. The property will also feature a new spa, the Villa San Michele Spa by Guerlain – which will host a nature-immersive programme. Meanwhile, the new rooms and suites showcase numerous artisanal details, from marble bathrooms to hand-painted tapestries and scagliola tables – a local plastering technique from the 17th century. In these details, a new story unfolds.
