The neighbors wonder whose it is, and why it has been closed for years. It is not just any house, but a large art nouveau mansion in perfect condition. It is located in a residential area of Buenos Aires. It is known as The Round House, however, little is known about this private residence, with its mysterious past and present.
Construction of the great mansion
The construction of La Casa Redonda-a large mansion does not go unnoticed. Its tower and colorful Italian style have little to do with the Tudor-style houses and petit hotels in the area. Its location is strategic, it is making ochava on Eduardo Costa and Ortíz de Ocampo streets, in Barrio Parque, facing Figueroa Alcorta Avenue.
According to records that account for the work of the painter and architect Palanti in Argentina, the emblematic mansion was inaugurated in 1922. Chrysler was also a work of Palanti. On the south side of this enormous construction is La Redonda.
Mario Palanti architect of La Casa Redonda, a large mansion
It is said that the architect built the large mansion opposite the dealership so that the Fevre family, Chrysler's representative in Argentina, could observe from the windows of their house the test track for cars that the building had on its top floor.
There are those who, when contemplating this architectural jewel of the City of Buenos Aires, immediately remember another Buenos Aires treasure: the Palacio Barolo. The data is not surprising if we take into account that the author of both constructions is the same. Mario Palanti developed his academic training in his native country, but a large part of his legacy was left in Argentina.
He arrived in Buenos Aires very young, just 25 years old, with the aim of being part of the construction of the Italian Pavilion. That would become the beginning of what was a brilliant career for him, a sign of his great talent and creativity.
If you stop on the Figueroa Alcorta sidewalk, you can see its Indian-style curvy lookout tower stand out amid the tops of the jacaranda trees. It has a masonry railing from which an iron vane rises. In addition, the gates show wooden reliefs that, for many, evoke Dante, author of the Divine Comedy, and Beatrice, its protagonist.
“It is, undoubtedly, Palantinesque, from the bulbous and oversized bases of the balconies, to the Italian medieval evocation of the galleries and all the surely unique ornamentation, designed and made just for this house, such as the lanterns in the garden, the carving of the doors, etc.”, describes Espina Rawson.
A ghost in the Round House- A large and mysterious mansion
Throughout its history, it has passed through different owners. Between 1940 and 1949 La Casa Redonda-a large mansion was inhabited by the Ceballos family. Until one of the daughters died there of tuberculosis and they moved to the Savoy Hotel. Later, a family from Salta used it during their stays in Buenos Aires. It was also the Embassy of Iran until 1979, when Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was still in power.
That is why it was revealed that it has a registered security bunker, rebound plates, systems against automatic weapons, and security and surveillance windows. Then the Fucile family bought it, and for four years they dedicated themselves to restoring it since it was in poor condition. They lived there until 1998 when they sold it.
It was closed for years until the Argentine company Mobili decided to rent it and invest a large sum of money to restore it and set up a luxury furniture showroom where works of art were also exhibited. They occupied the place for approximately two years and since then it has been closed.
Vicky Peláez, who was the curator of that exhibition, remembers how luxurious the mansion was inside: "On the ground floor there was boiserie, a large fireplace and an important staircase."
The enigmatic Round House- A great mansion full of secrets
As it turned out, the owner of La Redonda is Argentine and lives abroad. Meanwhile, the house remains at night with its lights off, there is no doorbell or electric intercom in sight and only a sign with the number can be distinguished, that of Eduardo Costa 3079, despite having an entrance from both streets. It is inside a protected area called APH 3 Grand Bourg, a quiet area with Parisian-style diagonals designed by Carlos Thays.
In turn, one of the clients who used to go to buy furniture on the site, revealed that strange things were happening inside at that time. “The lights came on by themselves, the alarm sounded, the place pictures moved and objects fell from the top of the stairs. In the neighborhood it was said that the ghost of the driver of the first inhabitants lived there, who at the beginning of the century died due to an accident inside the house.
According to the interactive site of the Buenos Aires Government, Ciudad3D, where it appears under the number 3083, the residence has a built-up area of 810 m², while the plot has 466 m².
It has two floors and is listed as Architectural and Urban Heritage of the City, with structural protection, since, according to Law 3056, as it is a building prior to 1941, it cannot be demolished or modified. However, the report says nothing about its current owners. "Hopefully soon there will start to be movement, it is sad to see such a beautiful house, closed," say the neighbors.
You can visit Barrio Parque accompanied by the Round House, if you want a nice escort. Barrio Parque is an area chosen by several important figures: judges, artists and politicians take refuge in the English and French-style mansions that multiply along the curved streets. They are low houses and imposing architectural works.