Design studio Ran & Morris Creative Partnership has completed the transformation of the five-star hotel Sofitel Bucharest. Located in the heart of Bucharest’s University Square, the luxury hotel was once known as the Oscar Maugsch Palace. The four-floor hotel contains 157 guestrooms, two restaurants, a lobby, a dynamic event hall, and a relaxing spa. Inspired by the mantra l’Art de Vivre, the studio carried out a French-style makeover of a historic building.
Romanian culture, French luxury
By viewing the historical quarter of the Romanian capital through the prism of French luxury, Ran & Morris Creative Partnership applied their typical story-catching methodology to reconcile multiple layers of influence. Once called Little Paris, due to its early French social, architectural, and cultural influences, the capital of Romania features a mixture of historic and cultural sites with Soviet- era architecture and a vibrant city life.
The project started by unifying two adjacent buildings in collaboration with Cumulus, an architectural firm from Romania. Although built in different eras (one in the late 19th century and the other in the early 20th century), both buildings have a lot in common as they were designed by the same architect. The consistencies in the structural lines facilitated this unifying process. A rear courtyard is transformed into an entrance for the new hotel. The passage between two buildings is covered by a 14-meter-high skylight, under which it spans a formidable lobby.
Multipurpose ballroom
Ran & Morris accentuated the verticality of the space with a fourth level that was added to both buildings to accommodate newly designed spaces. The historic buildings were previously transformed from an elite residence into a bank with an exhibition space, which is now turned into a dynamic, multi-use ballroom. Apart from the ballroom, the multifaceted space can be used for a variety of activities ranging from concerts to fashion shows.
Experiential quality of the lobby
The exterior patio was enclosed to create an extension to the main restaurant. Inside the lobby, the company created the atmosphere of walking down a street in Paris, with comfortable seating, a traditional French café, and a neighbourhood vibe. The kinetic lighting fixture integrated into the ceiling contributed to the experiential quality of the lobby.
Soft, sculptural silhouettes and classic colour tones match the building’s classical façade and decorative stonework. Tactile materials add a touch of contemporary luxury, while the limestone-inspired palette and brushed brass mirror the aesthetics of the city. Modern elements include a selection of fine Parisian furnishings, decorated with Romanian-inspired textiles and revived through lighting and textures.
Guestrooms and suites
The design of the guestrooms is done in typical French fashion, completed with selected fabrics and artworks. The artistic headboards designed by local carpenters add elements of Romanian culture into the design. The spacious guest rooms feature 4 meters high ceiling, with marble or parquet flooring, depending on the room. French furniture completes the prestigious, five-star design.
Ran & Morris Creative Partnership
The company, founded by Ran Yanuv and Morris Algazi in Tel Aviv more than a decade ago, has built a reputation as “Story Catchers”, believing that every design should tell a story and create experiences. A team composed of talented architects and designers has worked on an array of commercial, retail, and hospitality interior design projects around the globe. From their beginnings in Israel to exclusive buildings in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, Ran & Morris Creative Partnership crafts bespoke designs that resonate with a global clientele.
Project info
Project: Sofitel Bucharest
Location: Bucharest, Romania
Building type: Two adjacent preserved neo-classical heritage buildings
Period: Late 19th century & early 20th century
Status: Design phase
Design: Ran & Morris Creative Partnership
Scope: Interior architecture, interior design, FF&E, concept development
Client / Operator: Sofitel
Source: v2com-newsware
