Cafeneaua Veche 9
About this project
The Old Café 9 today is the Old Café of 1812, frequented by Eminescu, Veronica Micle, Caragiale and King Carol II. Challenge Preservation of historical value, but at the same time the need to make it relevant today. The ground floor, with rooms arranged in steps, consists of 4 halls (restaurant & coffee shop) with a cross vault roof and a professional kitchen. The halls with high, arched windows are separated by arches whose end of perspective is the "Tree of Life", a symbol of the Café's rebirth. Guests discover a new place with every visit. In the morning, in the coffee shop, remote work in the sofa area. Lunch, pizza at the central bar. Dinner in the main lounge, business talks in the VIP lounge. In the evening, a jazz show in the gallery.
What kind of context it solves
A hospitality project with real historical weight, where the space needed to preserve the memory of the place while staying relevant to contemporary city life.
What it changes in practice
It turns heritage into a living experience that supports reservations, longer visits, and a more memorable identity for the venue.
What it clarifies before the next step
It shows how historical weight can be preserved without sacrificing commercial flow, operational rhythm, or present-day appeal.
Results
- • +1.2 rating points in reviews
- • +28% weekend bookings
- • +22% average time spent on site
Project details
Awards & Distinctions
- 2024 , BIG SEE Interior Design Award, BIG SEE Awards, Winner (Restaurant / Hospitality) (Link)
- 2023 , Bienala Națională de Arhitectură, UAR, Premiul secțiunii (ex aequo) (Link)
- 2022 , Anuala de Arhitectură București, OAR București, Project Listing (Link)
- 2023 , Romanian Design Week, RDW, Project Listing (Link)
- 2022 , Hospitality Snapshots, Hospitality Snapshots, Project Feature (Link)
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