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An imposing building in the city, few would not recognize its round facade in the heart of Barrio Parque. Many also know that it keeps countless stories within it. For example: It is said that there were ghosts who turned on the lights at night. That gazebo was designed for an eccentric family who wanted to control the testing of their automobile company’s vehicles. Which was the first commercial landing in an unusual and exclusive building of the neighbourhood. Even today it has a double-storey armored room, which was opened for the first time only 10 days ago.
The truth is that the mystery of the Palanti House is as circular as its existence. Built in 1922 by the same architect who built the Barolo Palace, it contains symbolic symbols Divine Comedy The various families and businessmen who lived there during different decades knew how to preserve it. The faces of Dante and Beatrice remain fixed on the portal, as well as in the bas-reliefs on one of the facades specially built for the Fevres, the original owners.
From the circular vantage point – like the hall and many of its rooms – the Pfeiffer family dominated car tests conducted by its agent on the track of the former Alcorta Palace and the former Renault Museum. It was built at the request of the Resta Hermanos agency, which sold Chrysler brand cars. Thus, the Pfeffer family (and the Bassett family, who were the other part of the community) had a privileged view of the open-air automobile track that Pallanti had also designed in 1928.
But today, that is past history. Traces of it remain only in archival photographs, since the building was sold at auction and in 1994 a distinguished superstructure complex was built. Today the residences pool is located on the former track.
After the Fevres, the Solers arrived, the next family to enjoy the 466 square meters of the famous house, its wood paneling and stained glass windows. And of course the enormous panoramic views from the viewpoint that keeps its astronomical Southern Cross intact. Especially in November, when the jacaranda flowers steal all the attention. To reach it you have to climb very narrow (0.62 cm) cement stairs. But it’s worth it.
The security bunker was also left intact at Casa Redonda – as it is known – located on the corner of Eduardo Costa and Ortiz de Ocampo Streets. What is striking is that little or nothing was known about this armored room, until restoration work on the landing pad of a fine-dining restaurant revealed the mystery. It so happens that until 1980, the Majlis served as the main headquarters of the Iranian Embassy, when Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was still in power. “Getting in here was a big challenge,” says Pablo Dian, co-owner, with his brother Diego, of Casa Palante, a 100-room restaurant, bar and three private rooms that just opened. “The place is magical, with many stories. You can’t change anything, because it is a heritage-protected property.”
“I walked by the door and was sad because the place was closed. Until I convinced the owners and assured them that the restoration would respect all the requirements. They live abroad,” says Diane, adding another drop of mystery to the whole.
In fact, with the departure of the Iranian diplomatic delegation, the house was put up for sale. There were figures at that time that exceeded $7 million. But neither the marble staircase, nor the landscaped courtyard, nor the ornate iron lanterns succeeded in attracting buyers. For eight years it was closed. It was a time of ghosts, night lights, and always locked gates that fueled the area’s urban legends.
Only in 2017 were the heavy doors reopened and the luster of the original floors restored. With the arrival of an art gallery and furniture showroom promoted by Argentina Mobili, equipment from international brands such as Fendi Casa, Roberto Cavalli Home, Molteni & C, Ralph Lauren and Boca do Lobo were also installed in spaces decorated by local interior designers. In addition, works by Luis Felipe Noe, Juan Dufo, Juan Asteca, and Alejandro Debonis were suspended; And photographs by Sergio Castiglione.
A few years later, black bars again closed the house, which is included in the architectural and urban heritage of the city. This structural protection under Law 3056 means that the building cannot be demolished or modified, as it is a pre-1941 building.
With this premise, the Dayans bet big and hired interior designer Aimee Carranza, an expert in designing bars and restaurants with their own identity, to transform the legend into a scenographic environment.
Thus, through theatrical gestures that highlight the construction details, Casa Palanti debuts a new look: that of an exclusive restaurant that takes advantage of every corner, except the attic and the armored room. Even the bathroom maintains its proportions, with a bathtub and the dimensions of a studio apartment.
The garden has also been restored, along with an original piece of furniture designed by Palanti that today serves as a display case for antique objects. “The architecture of the house gives you everything, and the key is to respect its imprint,” highlight Carranza and Magdalena Pico, interior designer and team member, who chose corduroy, jacquard and silk fringe to emphasize the intervention in the spaces that mimic hell and purgatory.
“The big challenge was to create an unprecedented atmosphere without losing the essence of the author,” says Amy Carranza. Meanwhile, Juan Venturaira is in charge of the menu, which he defines as 80% seasonal. “The focus is on the traceability of different producers selected from all over the country,” says the Michelin-starred chef of Riccitelli Bistró in Mendoza.
Another find from the house is the fireplace that the original owners placed in the dining room. The setting has managed to change its function today: from heating the space to protecting or providing privacy to one of the tables. A barely compact shelter, open, but at the same time closed. Meanwhile, the original cache remained intact: a triangle measuring three by one and a half metres. “It was left as is, we left it like that in the service area. We understand that it was Panic room “It was the embassy at the time, because it had armored glass in the window,” Dayan says.
Today, Casa Palanti continues to be transformed without losing its original structure and lustre. This new stage, at least, allowed us to know some secrets. Although much of the foundational mysteries are still kept under seven keys, it will be a matter of time before we are able to discover them.
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