The James Suite Hotel Firenze 1564

The James Suite Hotel Firenze 1564 — IADA 2026 award

The James Suite Hotel Firenze 1564 received Bronze Winner recognition at the International Architecture & Design Awards 2026 in Hospitality & Hotel Design. Project status, design team and credits are listed alongside the presentation.

About the project

The James Suite Hotel Firenze 1564 is a celebration of modern Florentine craftsmanship. Opened in June 2024, this restoration of a 16th-century Renaissance palazzo is the vision of Florentine designer and architect, who has transformed his childhood home into a 14-key five-star boutique hotel. Completed under significant time constraints and strict heritage preservation guidelines, this building which was once a convent and later a pioneering hotel, has now been transformed into a home of elegance and reflection, a dialogue between the past and present.

Conceived as a reinterpretation of place, The James reveals a hidden Florentine palazzo reimagined for today — an architectural gem that blends an international sensibility with the deep soul of Tuscan culture and craftsmanship. The James design is rooted in chromatic and spatial flow: hand-finished plaster walls, velvet drapery, artisanal brasswork, and Tuscan marble define interiors that are both tactile and atmospheric.

The project’s artistic dimension unfolds through a dialogue between commissioned works, restored frescoes, and one-of-a-kind design pieces, each contributing to the narrative of space. Living areas unfold seamlessly into serene sleeping spaces, while bathrooms gleam like hidden jewels, finished with handcrafted ceramics, brushed metals, and sculptural lighting. Subtle shifts in palette and proportion create a rhythm throughout the building, enhancing its Renaissance bones while introducing a quiet, contemporary elegance. Every surface, detail, and furnishing was individually designed and handmade - from custom joinery and patinated brasswork to woven textiles and marble inlays.

The British connection runs through the architect’s creative DNA, infusing the Italian setting with understated English sophistication. Among the many treasures within the hotel is a remarkable piece of royal history: Queen Elizabeth II’s mobile wardrobe, a mahogany artefact with intricately crafted compartments and an accompanying portrait of the young Queen.

The public spaces extend this ethos: the James Restaurant reinterprets Mediterranean cuisine through minimalist design and subtle colour play, while the 1564 Lounge Bar - named for the year the palazzo was built - offers a cinematic experience of mixology. Here, rare spirits and botanicals are served amidst velvet textures, candlelight, and curated soundscapes, a sensory echo of Florence’s layered history.

Every design gesture in The James serves a purpose - to preserve the soul of the building while unveiling a new chapter of Florentine elegance. The result is a hotel that transcends accommodation: a living museum of craftsmanship and design, where every room invites discovery and every detail tells a story.

PRIMA DESIGN SRL

Prima Design is an international architecture, interior design, and artisanal consultancy founded by industry veteran James Cavagnari and headquartered in Florence, Italy. With over 300 projects worldwide, the studio’s work spans residential, commercial, and hospitality spaces, united by an ethos of craftsmanship and emotion. Each project begins through close collaboration with the client, transforming ideas into logical yet poetic spatial solutions that inspire discovery and connection.

Rooted in a distinctly Italian sensibility, Prima Design partners with master Tuscan artisans to create bespoke pieces that reinterpret centuries-old techniques for contemporary living. This synergy between heritage and innovation defines the studio’s design language - one that continuously redefines the experience of space while honouring its cultural context. Guided by philosophy and craft, Prima Design creates environments that celebrate the past, shape the present, and respect the future.