A Firenze l’aperitivo al tramonto si può fare in una terrazza con piscina progettata da Carlo Scarpa
The article describes a rooftop terrace with a swimming pool designed by architect Carlo Scarpa in 1964 for the Grand Hotel Minerva in Florence, created in collaboration with architect Edoardo Detti. Overlooking Piazza Santa Maria Novella, this modernist intervention was built atop a 14th-century palazzo and is one of Scarpa's lesser-known works. The terrace, which opened just months before the devastating 1966 Florence flood, has evolved from an exclusive hotel amenity into a popular city destination for aperitifs and mixology, now relaunching for the summer season with a new gastronomic and cocktail program.
This story matters because it highlights a rare example of mid-20th-century modernist architecture successfully integrated into Florence's historic Renaissance city center, a context often resistant to contemporary interventions. Scarpa's design—characterized by precise lines, controlled geometries, and a dialogue with the urban skyline—demonstrates how modern language can coexist with historical heritage without disrupting its balance. The terrace also reflects broader shifts in tourism culture and urban life, from exclusive hotel space to a more open, lifestyle-oriented venue that bridges architectural memory and contemporary social practices.