BRAC BOOKSTORE

Just a few steps from Piazza della Signoria and the Uffizi Gallery, hidden among the many courtyards of Florence's historic center, Brac Bookstore reveals itself as a secret and enchanting place of sociability where one can read, eat, drink, or simply spend time in a cozy and hospitable environment.

The restyling project of the premises starts from the desire to want to keep the atmosphere there and that distinguishes it, with the aim of renewing its image by making the spaces more functional and giving more visibility to the careful selection of books.

The heart of the intervention is the courtyard that visually connects the two main rooms: a striking space characterized by verticality, color, and flexibility. Conceived with the goal of limiting noise transmission to the surrounding residences. More than 5,000 strips of fabric, in 9 different colors, 5 centimeters wide and varying lengths between 75 and 175 centimeters, descend from above and engage the visitor in an emotional space. The strips are suspended from a lightweight, modular structure made of steel cables, attached to the perimeter walls of the courtyard at a height that does not exceed the interior ceilings of the library. This allows a variability of configuration with time and seasons, thus lending itself to the transformations and different needs of the library café.