From the Portfolio of Christie's—Iconic Kenzo House. Zen in the Heart of Paris

The four-story residence has a floor area of up to 1,280 sq. m. and is mysteriously tucked away in a courtyard of a residential building from the 18th century in the historic Bastille district—a quiet fashionable enclave of the Rive Droite. 
The cedar-clad villa is built around its own courtyard, tethered to nature by landscaped terraces on an authentic Japanese garden with a stone-studded pond stocked with nishiki carp.

Kenzō Takada (1939-2020) was a legend in the fashion industry. Founder of the luxury fashion brand Kenzō, the French-Japanese designer revived the ready-to-wear runways of the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s with his bold polychrome collections. Kenzō was known for his jungle prints, bright graphics, global esthetic, and whimsical spirit. French President Emmanuel Macron said of him: “He gave us color and freedom in the choice of silhouettes.”

Drafted by this visionary designer, the villa consists of 18 rooms, 4 of which are bedrooms, 6 are bathrooms, 2 are lounges, 2 are kitchens, 2 are dining rooms, with a music room, fitness zone, wine cellar, and its own elevator. The residence also includes 3 apartments for employees. The entire property is adorned with a Japanese pavilion with a traditional tea-ceremony room with tatami mats and shoji sliding doors that open onto a koi pond. Cherry and maple trees, bamboo, junipers, lichens, mosses, rocks, and waterfalls mimic the tranquil harmony of the Japanese landscape.

Japanese zen permeates the entire residence. Kuma, who redesigned the villa, also transformed the terrace with an indoor pool into an engawa, a traditional Japanese exterior corridor crafted from wooden lattice that contains a row of green leaves and an outside dining table. The covered terrace has the perfect atmosphere for entertaining no matter the weather. For some me time, have a soak in the elegant stone bathtub with floor-to-ceiling view of the rooftops of Paris.

An ode to Japanese culture and a serene lifestyle, Kenzo House is no ordinary Parisian home. It’s a work of art that inspires the art of refined living.