What is true luxury? The AD100 award-winning architect Charles Zana believes it is hidden from the invisible. Recently, he installed his home in his favorite neighborhood of Paris Saint-Germain, transforming an imposing old Parisian apartment with timeless elegance, and the building itself is as elegant as ever, while everything is constantly changing. "My aesthetic is based on my freedom to roam between different styles and eras. I draw my favorite fun elements from everything in the world. It is a training that increases wisdom and enriches oneself in a way. He said so.
Architect Charles Zana in his living room.
Choosing to become an architect for the love of art is the origin of Charles Zana's relationship with design. "I'm interested in Impressionism, Surrealism, art movements, discovering these art forms from books and museums as a kid, and with my math being good, I feel that architectural design is a combination of all these aspects," he says. Whenever he had time, Charles Zana would go to the gallery to find something he liked.
In the foyer, on the Lava table, designed by Charles Zana, there are sculptures by Italian designer Andrea Branzi Monoliti and table lamps by French designer Martin Laforêt. The Ash chair was created by American artist Wharton Esherick, and on the wall in front of the table is a painting by Algerian-French artist Adel Abdessemed.
As an architect, Charles Zana's style never shows any superficial boast, on the contrary, his work is more prominent in the simplicity and silence that looms in the brushstrokes of the lines. For more than 30 years, he has focused on space design, where every detail is designed to create an elegant and comforting spirit of place. His home in Paris was also designed with unintentional elegance as a premise. This apartment is located in his favorite Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood, whose architecture still retains the purest 18th-century Parisian style.
The living room is furnished with furniture designed by architect Charles Zana, such as Nomad wooden benches and Franck armchairs. Underneath the fireplace sits a Rababah vase designed by Ettore Sottsass.
"I love this traditional aristocratic mansion, it has a story to tell. In such a house, what I like is the proportions of the rooms, the height of the space, the scale of the windows, the grandeur of the line feet and the cornices... After all, that era gave birth to extraordinary French Art Deco. He shared. Charles Zana altered parts of the original space, but his changes were both deliberate and subtle, not at odds with the original building construction, but gave the impression that everything had always been there.
As for the soft interior interior, Charles Zana opted for solid colors. The white curtains and walls are meant to maintain a sense of tranquility, and the space is only seen with sporadic bright colors, like the white space of the canvas, light but open. Because of this, even the details shine.
The chandeliers, small side tables and paintings in the living room are the work of Italian architect Ettore Sottsass; The Champel sofa, the Dune coffee table and the Franck armchair were all designed by Charles Zana. By the window, the Lutrario chair by Carlo Mollino and the Élysée floor lamp by Pierre Paulin create an enclosed spatial layout in the living room.
Speaking about the furnishings in the home, Charles Zana says: "I love the combination of classic and wild Italian furniture. I love the paintings of Luigi Caccia Dominioni, the brightness and casualness of Gino Sarfatti, the Dadaist Baroque of Alessandro Mendini, the childlike naivety of Bruno Munari, the clear and unwavering humanistic care embodied by Andrea Branzi, the magical harmony of Michele de Lucchi, and the absolute talent of Ettore Sottsass! The ceramics of architect Ettore Sottsass are witty and cute, and all have their own special meaning. He was fascinated by Ettore Sottsass because "he had a hot emotion, a sense of humor, and he could bring purity back into design."
In the corner of the living room, the sculpture La Fleur qui Marche ("Walking Flowers") was created by French painter, sculptor and filmmaker Fernand Léger. The black-and-white photograph by French designer Raymond Loewy contrasts interestingly with the painting on the wall by Italian artist Alighiero Boetti, Attirare l'Attenzione ("Attracting Attention"), purchased from the Tornabuoni Art Gallery.
Charles Zana himself is an intelligent aesthete, knowing how to tell the story of different objects and create cinematic scenes for spaces. His spatial design expresses his visualization of beauty and perception of the world. Charles Zana, who was born in Tunisia, moved to Paris at the age of two with his parents, a publisher and collector, and a physician mother, "both of whom embraced 'modernity'".
Charles Zana began collecting antique art books at an early age. He also likes to collect vases, "vases are important and basic objects, they have existed since ancient times, and they give people a sacred feeling".
In the restaurant, Charles Zana's Ispahan table top is made of Iranian red travertine; On the table are metal plates designed by Enzo Mari. At the table is the African chair designed by Afra & Tobia Scarpa. The red Élysée floor lamp on the right was designed by Pierre Paulin; The Archipel chandelier is the work of Charles Zana. The pottery work above the fireplace is by Andrea Branzi. At the same time, the walls are dotted with paintings by Bruno Capacci.
He inherited a strong preference for vintage designs and bizarre mashups from his father. Furniture by Italian designers such as Carlo Scarpa, Andrea Branzi and Carlo Mollino occupies a special place in his home, but the goodies that appear in his home change from time to time, because the architect also likes to experiment with different combinations.
The dwelling is not static, "I can find fun when mixing different things." I don't want to lock myself into any single style or era. He added: "I love Italian and Italian design. Ettore Sottsass liberated design from formal conventions and functionalism. Andrea Branzi connects function and aesthetics, sensory and emotional. Michele de Lucchi established an approach to design based on craftsmanship and poetry. ”
Underneath the chandelier designed by Andrea Branzi, the Warton armchair designed by Charles Zana harmonizes with the long table designed by Mathieu Matégot. On the table, a silver tubular nickel-plated brass lamp is a DM lamp designed by Charles Zana, next to various ceramic works by Ettore Sottsass. Photographs by Hiroshi Sugimoto hang on the walls.
"I started designing spaces in the '80s and 90s, when the mainstream was 'full set' design. But today I like to live in a more sophisticated, more 'bohemian' atmosphere. Charles Zana's collection of vintage furniture is mixed with contemporary art, mixing with the Ithaque furniture collection he launched more than a year ago. His work has a French spirit, chic but not flashy: combining outstanding Art Deco, vintage design and furniture bespoke around art to form timeless sets that show his deep understanding of classicism and modernity.
In the master bedroom, warm wood tones surround the room, filling the space with warm comfort. The texture of the floor and wall panels enhances the richness of the space. At the fireplace, the cube of SuperStudio and the vase designed by Ettore Sottsass complement each other. To the left of the fireplace, a sculpture by Fausto Melotti is on a desk designed by Ron Arad. On the bedside table designed by Arne Jacobsen is a Brasilia lamp designed by Michel Boyer. The Djo armchair in the cloakroom was designed by Charles Zana. Floral works from Parisian florist Castor Fleuuriste.
This can be seen in the furniture he designs, from armchairs and sofas to lamps, which are of exquisite quality, exquisite taste, well-made and not ostentatious. The choice of materials, the playfulness of shapes, the subtlety of tones are harmonized by Charles Zana's simple and thoughtful design. "I believe that many architects will like to live in spaces with stories, that is, narratives that transcend time and space, stories that existed before them, grander than their own existence." Charles Zana said.
In the terrace garden, there are Chandigarh chairs designed by Swiss architect Pierre Jeanneret. The custom-made bench seats were made by CEMAD.
Charles Zana's designs always have a unique style – he mixes and matches different pieces of furniture and artwork as if it were a deliberate arrangement, each combination seems unique but reasonable. For designer Charles Zana, the old house is not only home, but also his laboratory. In his elegant style, he not only expresses a near-perfect tranquility, but also allows himself to achieve a physical and mental release. "True luxury lies in places that are barely visible," he said. ”