Florence Black and White Box probe: 15 under investigation

Fifteen people are under investigation in a probe into the so-called Black Cube, or Black and white box development in Florence, a controversial construction that replaced the former Teatro Comunale di Firenze in an area subject to landscape protection along the Arno.

According to prosecutors, the project was carried out without a valid building permit, as the authorisation issued was allegedly unlawful. Investigators argue that the approved design did not comply with existing urban planning regulations and differed from the project previously authorised during the official approval process.

Alleged discrepancies in the project

The investigation focuses on what prosecutors describe as substantial differences between the approved plans and those actually submitted for authorisation. These include changes in building height and volume, with additional floors and increased mass compared to what had been authorised in earlier planning stages, including a 2018 city council resolution.

Authorities also claim that the documentation attached to the permit application did not match the project approved during the conference of services, a key step in Italy’s public decision-making process for complex developments.

False landscape authorisation

A central point in the case concerns the landscape authorisation required for construction in protected areas, such as those along the Arno and within Florence’s UNESCO-listed historic centre.

Prosecutors allege that the permit to build was issued on the basis of a landscape authorisation that was “false and therefore null”. According to the investigation, officials initially expressed concerns about the project’s compatibility with the surrounding landscape, citing a deterioration in the building’s external design compared to earlier plans.

However, a few months later, the same procedure reportedly resulted in a favourable binding opinion stating that the project had overcome those critical issues. Investigators now claim that this positive assessment was not justified by the actual changes to the design.

Officials, designers and former executives involved

Among those under investigation are senior officials from the Municipality of Florence’s urban planning and private building offices, as well as members of the city’s landscape commission.

Also included are representatives of the state heritage authority (Soprintendenza), which in Italy oversees the protection of cultural heritage and landscapes, along with architects involved in the project and a former executive of a state-controlled financial institution linked to the sale of the former theatre site.

Prosecutors allege that, in different roles, the individuals contributed to enabling the construction in a protected area without a valid permit.

Background and impact

The Black Cube has drawn public attention in Florence due to its visual impact on a sensitive riverside area close to the historic centre. The site lies within a zone of recognised public interest, subject to strict rules aimed at preserving the city’s historic skyline and landscape.

The investigation is ongoing, and the individuals involved are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

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