Unesco reviews Florence 'black cube' luxury redevelopment amid outrage

Unesco is reviewing the redevelopment of Florence's former Teatro Comunale into a luxury residential complex, known as the 'black cube,' over concerns it threatens the city's World Heritage status. The project, designed by architect Vittorio Grassi, features a nearly 30-meter-high dark structure behind the preserved Neo-Classical façade, along with two white residential blocks with black upper storeys. It includes 156 short- and medium-stay apartments operated by Starhotels and 30 for-sale units. Opposition has grown, with protests in December and criticism from Eike Schmidt, former Uffizi director. Prosecutors are investigating 15 people—including Grassi, planning officials, and heritage authorities—for forgery, planning offences, and violations of Italy's cultural heritage code, examining whether height limits were exceeded and approvals were pressured. The residents' group Salviamo Firenze claims 300,000 sq. m within 1.5 km of the Duomo have been converted for tourism. Unesco says it will assess compatibility with the 1982 World Heritage inscription and may consider the List of World Heritage in Danger before any removal. The project was initially designed by Marco Casamonti in pale stone, approved in 2018, rejected in May 2020, but a redesigned scheme was approved four months later, differing substantially from the original.