Florence architects seek clarification from Minister Giuli on Isozaki lodge

TheFlorence Order of Architects has sent a letter to Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli asking for clarification on the failure to build the Isozaki Loggia, the winning design of the 1998 international competition for the new exit of the Uffizi Galleries. In October 2023, in fact, the Superior Council of Cultural Heritage expressed a negative opinion on the construction of the Loggia, and its fate was never heard from again. The Order then wrote a few days later to then-Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano a letter asking for clarification and expressing its position (the renunciation of the project, according to the order, brings Italy into disrepute), but no response ever came from the owner of the Collegio Romano.

The missive sent to Giuli, signed by President Luca Scollo, is also addressed to the mayor of Florence, Sara Funaro, and the director of the Uffizi Galleries, Simone Verde. The content of the letter reiterates what had already been communicated to Sangiuliano on November 29, 2023. The document, supported by 96 provincial Orders of Architects, the Florence Architects Foundation and the Michelucci Foundation, also raised relevant questions about the procedure followed, as well as the reasons behind the decision not to proceed with the construction of the loggia designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki.

In the new letter, the Order of Architects again asks for clarification, highlighting doubts about the transparency of the choices made, the costs already incurred for the project, and the need to resolve issues of concern not only to the architectural community, but also to cultural workers and citizens. “Not having received any feedback on the matter,” President Scollo writes to Minister Giuli on behalf of the entire Council of the Order of Architects of Florence, “we take the liberty of renewing our request for clarification, trusting that your attention can help provide the necessary clarifications to dispel the many doubts raised, not only by the architectural community, but also by cultural operators and citizens, interested in the good governance of the country’s cultural heritage. We are confident that, through your kind response, it will be possible to shed light on an affair that has raised great public interest and is of particular importance for Italy’s image on the international cultural scene.”

The Order of Architects of Florence is therefore willing to collaborate to ensure that the design of the new Uffizi exit takes place in accordance with the best architectural practices and administrative transparency.

Florence architects seek clarification from Minister Giuli on Isozaki lodge

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