Kenzo House is one of Paris' better kept secrets. The home of legendary fashion designer Kenzo Takada, it sits in the French capital’s 11th arrondissement, and while it was initially created by Takada himself in 1988, it was redesigned thoroughly by Japanese architecture master Kengo Kuma in 2017, which brought the property to its current iteration: an architectural slice of Zen within Paris' bustling metropolis. Now, following Takada's passing in 2020, it has come on the market via the property specialists at Christie's.
Stepping inside Kenzo House in Paris
'Kenzo House is without rival in Paris,' said Marie-Hélène Lundgreen of Belles Demeures de France, which is the international subsidiary of Daniel Féau Conseil Immobilier, Christie’s International Real Estate’s exclusive affiliate in Paris. 'Built 35 years ago by Kenzo Takada and masterfully updated for the 21st century by architect Kengo Kuma, it is a world apart.'
Kenzo's work mixed Eastern and Western influences, as well as a passion for colour, light and nature. Kuma kept this spirit when reworking the house, blending in the Parisian setting traditional Japanese building materials, such as ceramic, stone, bamboo, and wood. 'With it, we can experience nature more deeply and more intimately,' Kuma said. 'Transparency is a characteristic of Japanese architecture; I try to use light and natural materials to get a new kind of transparency.'
Spanning four bedrooms, six bathrooms, and a Japanese suite opening onto a lush, serene garden, Kenzo House is expansive, but its carefully curated, human-scale design ensures it remains cosy, textured and warm. It also includes two reception rooms, two dining rooms, two kitchens, a music room, study, fitness room, elevator, and a wine cellar, as well as three self-contained studio apartments for staff.
Kenzo House is offered for sale, price upon request.
