The former factory premises of Manifattura Tabacchi has announced the next phase of its urban regeneration project, which is expected to open in September 2022. The Factory, which is the moniker for this stage in the works, aims to expand its already thriving mission as a hub of sustainable creativity for contemporary makers with ateliers, offices, co-working spaces, restaurants and exhibition spaces.
Rendering of the main piazza at Manifattura Tabacchi
The former tobacco factory to the west of Florence, near piazza Puccini, closed its doors in 2001 after seventy years of business, but is gradually returning to life thanks to the joint venture set up by real estate firm Gruppo Cassa Depositi e Prestiti and PW Real Estate Fund III LP, managed by Aermont Capital. MTDM Manifattura Tabacchi Development Management Srl oversees the factory’s regeneration as part of a 250 million euro campaign to restore 16 buildings by 2026.
Internationally renowned fashion institute Polimoda is one of the first companies to embrace the real estate development. Its decision to purchase Building Six at Manifattura Tabacchi has resulted in the opening of the school’s third campus in Florence, welcoming more than 800 international students since the edifice’s inauguration in January 2020.
Manifattura Tabacchi from above
The commencement of the works was marked with a digital event on April 7. The Factory Show was live streamed on Manifattura Tabacchi’s YouTube channel, including speeches by Giovanni Manfredi, CEO, Manifattura Tabacchi; Dario Nardella, Mayor of Florence; Alessandro Sorani and Massimiliano Giornetti, respectively vice-president and the new director of Polimoda; and Roberta Pasinetti, head of project management, Manifattura Tabacchi.
“The start of the work on the FACTORY of Manifattura Tabacchi is a very important moment that symbolizes change,” commented Giovanni Manfredi, CEO of Manifattura Tabacchi. “For us, it represents the shift from ‘thinking’ to ‘doing’. The essence of the project is to discover Florence’s contemporary side, offering a ‘fresher’ dimension, a place where you can experiment, make mistakes and be innovative.”
Factory (B4-B5-B11-B6) ph. Alessandro Fibbi
The ultimate aim of the Factory is to become a destination that attracts the international community of creatives and professionals who want to live and work in Florence.
