Fondazione Giovanni Michelucci (Villa Il Roseto)

Villa Il Roseto in Fiesole was Giovanni Michelucci's home and studio during the final three decades of his life. The house and terraced garden became the setting for the foundation he established in 1982 to study the city and its social life.

Why it matters

Michelucci's domestic environment offers a different perspective on a major figure in twentieth-century Italian architecture. Books, fitted furnishings and the relationship with the garden connect his everyday surroundings with his concern for how people inhabit buildings and cities.

What to notice

The villa was designed in the 1930s by engineer Gino Bartolini for the De Jevenois sisters. Michelucci added fixed wooden furnishings, bookshelves and mezzanines. Glazed openings in the semi-basement hall and a sandstone fireplace by Eugenio Cangioni contribute to its character. The terraced garden was shaped by Michelucci and his wife, the painter Eloisa Pacini.

Context and history

The couple moved to Il Roseto in November 1958, and Eloisa purchased it in June 1959. After her death in 1974, her will transferred ownership to the Comune di Fiesole while Michelucci retained the right to live there. He died on 31 December 1990. Created with regional and municipal support, the foundation made the villa its seat for research on urban life and social architecture.