Galleria Alta Pasticceria Iginio Massari

Construction of the Galleria Alta Pasticceria Iginio Massari within the historical building of the hotel Helvetia & Bristol. The pastry shop was created inside the hotel’s new ‘Bristol wing’, once the headquarters of the prestigious Banca di Roma, in the heart of Florence. Restoration of the central hall’s colonnade and architectural elements of the building and its original 19th-century structure.

  • Location: Florence
  • Client: Private
  • Type: Pastry shop
  • Period of completion: 3 months
  • Square maters: 350
  • Area of business: Pastry/Catering

The new Galleria Alta Pasticceria Iginio Massari is located in Via de’ Vecchietti, in the heart of Florence, covers an area of 350 square meters, and is connected with the Hotel Starhotels Helvetia & Bristol.
The spaces, designed respecting the building’s original features and 19th-century décor, now host a real temple of high pastry: here, a team of expert pastry chefs carries out Master Pastry Chef Iginio Massari’s principles, the very ones that have made him successful worldwide with his top-quality Made in Italy creations.

The intervention is the result of an ambitious project, steadily carried out over a very short period of time and at an extremely brisk pace that allowed us to complete the entire renovation in record time, just two and a half months, and see the Gallery open for the Christmas season, as per our client’s wish.

Staredil provided proficient experience and professionalism in managing and concluding the structural and architectural work, carefully tending to all details, albeit the smallest, in a timely fashion.

The space presents a series of original architectural features: all were carefully preserved and restored to preserve their integrity.
The recovery of the large room, with its distinctive skylight, stained-glass windows, and original features such as the capitals, is particularly emblematic; each feature was subject to an attentive conservative restoration aimed at enhancing and preserving its authenticity.

Hence, the renovation work comprised more than the structural and mechanical renovation: the fixtures and windows were replaced as well, and massive work was done on the flooring. Also, the rooms were painted and finished with fine materials such as wallpaper and boiserie.

The result is an extremely refined and comfortable venue perfectly encased in a prestigious historical context, where customers can stop to sample Master Pastry Chef Massari’s, and his team’, exclusive creations.

Main interventions

  • Structural and architectural work
  • Reconstructions, building, and plasterboard work
  • Mechanical and electrical work
  • Maintenance and replacement of glass fixtures
  • Flooring
  • Painting and varnishing
  • Finishing with fine materials (marble, wallpaper, and boiserie)
  • Restoration and protective treatment of existing historical features and capitals.
  • Restoration of the large hall, with its original 19th-century skylight.

Implementation interventions: before, during, after