Polimods Library and Research Hub

Architecture, Won Competition, Florence, ongoing

(ab)Normal has been appointed to design ANARCHIVE, a visionary creative hub for Polimoda situated within Florence’s Manifattura Tabacchi. Spanning nearly 2,000 sqm in Building B4, the project redefines the historic site through three interconnected environments: two physical floors and a global digital platform.

The attic level, inspired by the structural elegance of Pier Luigi Nervi, integrates a fashion archive with a 400 sqm exhibition space. Here, modular partitions and digital "limbos" facilitate a flexible landscape for research and display. On the second floor, the Polimoda Library houses over 29,000 volumes across 1,200 sqm. Designed as a "distributed library," the layout utilizes sound-absorbing curtains and a "solids and voids" philosophy to preserve architectural integrity while fostering communal learning.

By merging physical heritage with virtual accessibility, (ab)Normal transforms ANARCHIVE into a living repository. Following its 2024 commencement, the project debuts this autumn with an inaugural exhibition.