THE HISTORICAL MERCATO CENTRALE SAN LORENZO AND MERCATO SANT’AMBROGIO - Firenze - Italy
Studio: S+S Studio
In the heart of Florence, the Historical ‘Mercato Centrale’ San Lorenzo and the Mercato Sant'Ambrogio have undergone a series of renovation works to update their image and strengthen relations with customers and retailers, with a view to preserving their identity and authenticity.
The renovation works, overseen by the Florentine design firm S+S Studio and its architects Nicola Spagni and Diletta Storace, working with the Municipality of Florence, the Superintendence and the retailers in the markets, aimed to bring the spaces into the modern era, while preserving their spirit and historical identity.
In the Storico Mercato Centrale di San Lorenzo, the old flooring had to be completely renovated, and a thorough assessment led to the identification of the best performing material, FMG technical ceramics in their Active Surfaces® version. The Blast collection met the need for a surface that aesthetically recalled the city’s old cobbles as well as the technical needs of easy maintenance and sanitisation, resistance to stress and slipping.
For the 2,500 sq.m. area inside the market, Blast was chosen in Grey in the traditional 60x30 cm size, in an extra-thick 13 mm version to ensure extra resistance to wear, abrasions and constant stress due to trolleys carrying considerable weights, daily sanitisation and foot traffic. The Textured finish, with an R11 coefficient of friction and slip factor, makes the surface non-slip, and consequently safer for work environments with a high presence of water. Furthermore, the eco-active Active Surfaces® guarantee hygiene and healthiness for the visitors to the Market, thanks to their properties: they are antibacterial and antiviral (also against SARS-CoV-2), anti-pollution, anti-odour and self-cleaning, and are certified to ISO standards. Thanks to the exposure to (natural or artificial) light and the humidity in the air, this material is able to eliminate bacteria, viruses, fungi and mould. It also eliminates bad odours, prevents the formation of polluting particles and stops the dirt from sticking, making rooms healthier and more comfortable. These characteristics do not fade over time but remain active for the whole life cycle of the slabs.
Porcelain stoneware is easy to lay, so when replacing the previous floor, the market stalls were always operational and open to the public. Furthermore, it blends perfectly into the infrastructure, hiding all the sub-services including the water drainage channels and electrical wiring.
Completing the project , “memory stones” were laid, again made in Blast and engraved using the hydrojet technique with traditional Florentine and Tuscan phrases, references to culture and quotes by famous people linked to the city.
Active Surfaces® were also chosen for the internal flooring of the city’s Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio due not only to their functional efficiency but also their safety and hygiene for both retailers and customers, their high technical performance, sustainability and easy maintenance. The FMG Urban Dove collection with Active Surfaces® was laid in an area covering 700 sq.m., in size 60x30 cm, 13 mm thickness with non-slip finish.
MATERIALS USED
- Blast Grey in the Active Surfaces® version (Storico Mercato Centrale di San Lorenzo)
- Urban Dove in the Active Surfaces® version (Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio)