VILA SOPHIE STEINFELD | PARCUL CAROL

Located near the elegant Carol I Park, in one of the most distinguished areas of the capital, this restored villa bears an enchanting name – Casa cu rodii – inspired by the Art Nouveau paintings that embellish its cornice. The pomegranate is a symbol of virtue and wisdom, but also a sign of the importance of the family that once lived here. The passerby’s gaze is then irrevocably captured by the refined peacock-tail-shaped awning at the entrance, in authentic Art Nouveau style, which over time has become a kind of emblem of 19th-century Bucharest.
The property, located on a plot of 212 square meters, is composed of two buildings that communicate with each other. The first building was built in the 1870s-1880s, being one of the most chic buildings in Little Paris. This construction was initiated by a certain Sophie Steinfeld, a member of the Steinfeld family, the owner of the building, and was part of the former Uranus District, one of the bohemian neighborhoods of old Bucharest. The building received an extension in the years 1910 – 1920.
In 2004, it was purchased by an architect, directly from the heirs of the Steinfeld family, and entered into an extensive consolidation and restoration process, resulting in today’s architectural jewel. The property is located in a protected area so that the restoration works were carried out under strict conditions. The structural walls were consolidated and the upper belt connection was used for the ground floor body, and reinforced plaster on all levels for the high body. The two bodies communicate through a greenhouse that connects the floor of the high body to the attic of the old body. The volume of the attic is minimally modified so as not to affect the delicacy of the facade.
The interior and exterior decoration have been mostly restored. Where the original painting on the cornice could not be recovered, reproductions of works from the period were used. The garden has been landscaped and now houses several charming trees – an eight-meter birch, two magnolias and a pine. An 80 square meter oasis of greenery in the city center.