By
Alex Smith |
Final work is being completed onboard Costa Cruises’ Costa Firenze ahead of her maiden voyage on 4 July.
Design firm YSA Design has created four venues for the ship inspired by the Tuscany region of Italy. The firm has sourced authentic materials from the region and based colour palettes and adornments on the architecture of the city of Florence and its surroundings. YSA had previously designed several spaces onboard Costa Venezia, following the same regionally inspired approach.
“Like Venice, Florence is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful and enchanting cities in the world,” said Anne Mari Gullikstad, chief executive of YSA Design. “Therefore, as with Costa Venezia, the challenge with Costa Firenze was to recreate this charm while avoiding cliché.”
One of the venues designed by the firm is Lounge della Moda, a bar at the aft of deck five that will be accessed via a ‘catwalk’ that showcases Italian fashion through history.
“The idea with this bar was to highlight another important side of the city’s identity,” said Gullikstad. “As well as being an architectural marvel, Florence is an international capital of fashion and home to some of the world’s biggest and best-known clothing brands.”
Ristorante dei Medici, which will be located in the aft section of decks three and four, was inspired by Florence’s Santa Maria del Fiore and the adjacent Piazza del Duoma, with white and green marble walls reflecting the building’s façade. Forward of Ristorante dei Medici on deck three is Ristorante Palazzo Vecchio, which takes inspiration from the Florentine palaces Palazzo Vecchio and Palazzo Pitti. Like the two palaces, the restaurant will feature decorative elements including marble flooring, gilding and panel work, chandeliers and velvet, as well as an art gallery showcasing classical Italian paintings.
Meanwhile, the Versilla Deck on Deck 10 will be an informal dining, pool and lounge area intended to resemble the courtyard and gardens of a Tuscan country palace. At the forward end of the venue is Bar del Conte, a small corner bar designed by YSA Design to recall Florence’s Santa Maria Novella, the world’s oldest pharmacy.