Where Architects Live | Charles Zana

LOCATION Paris, France DESIGN Charles Zana Architects PHOTOGRAPHY François Halard WORDS Sophie Lewis

The Paris home of French architect Charles Zana chronicles his love for fine art, French craftsmanship and post-war Italian design.

The Nomad stool and Franck Bridge chairs by Charles Zana Mobilier feature alongside a side table and Rababah vase by Ettore Sottsass. Working from the inside out, Zana designs every aspect of a space in his projects, including the furniture.

Paris-based architect Charles Zana can’t be confined to an era or style. Studying at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Paris, Zana first worked on high-end apartments and fashion boutiques in New York City before establishing his own practice more than 30 years ago. Specialising in high-end hotels, hospitality and collector’s homes, he’s amassed a portfolio of projects worldwide for a handful of long-term clients.

'Sculpture La Fleur qui marche' by Fernand Léger, 'Attirare l’Attenzione' by Boetti Alighiero from Galerie Tornabuoni and black and white photography by French-American industrial designer Raymond Loewy.

The architect’s Louis XVI apartment is located in Paris’ Saint-Germain-de-Pres neighbourhood, in the same quarter as his studio. With an affinity for the area and 18th-century French design, he was drawn to the apartment’s proportions, high ceilings and large windows. He set out to create a new sense of flow across the apartment’s three levels through a ‘light’ renovation that preserved the patina and character of its original elements.

A hanging lamp and side table in the foreground by Italian architect Ettore Sottsass, complemented by Zana’s own designs, including the Champel sofa, Dune coffee table and a Franck Bridge chair. A Lutrario chair by Italian architect Carlo Mollino and an Élysée lamp by French interior designer Pierre Paulin feature to the left of the window.

The apartment’s interiors are largely monochromatic, as Zana painted the walls and ceiling in the same cream to accentuate historic detailing such as cornices and mouldings, and natural light. The primary bedroom is an exception, where oak panelling was revealed when the walls were stripped, so he decided to keep them exposed, just as he did with the restored parquetry, mosaic floor tiles by the stairs and marble fireplaces.

Charles Zana sits on the Champel sofa he designed beside a table lamp by Italian architect Andrea Branzi and wall artwork Piccolo Mandala by Ettore Sottsass. Growing up, he was surrounded by furniture and objects his father collected, and he soon adopted his love of art and history, becoming an expert in 20th-century Italian design masters such as Ettore Sottsass and Carlo Scarpa.

The architect attributes his love of collecting to his father, who often sourced objects and furniture that weren’t widely appreciated. Fascinated by the ‘la dolce vita’ spirit of post-war Italian design, Zana’s home features pieces from the 1970s Italian design collective Alchimia, a table by Peter Moos, Africa chairs by Afra and Tobia Scarpa, lighting by Angelo Lelli, and furniture and vases by Andrea Branzi. He is also regarded as an expert in the work of Ettore Sottsass, housing more than 30 of his designs, including vases, lamps, side tables and large ceramic totems.

An Ispahan table in Iranian travertine and an Archipel chandelier by Charles Zana, Africa chairs by Afra and Tobia Scarpa, a set of dishes in raw metal by Italian artist Enzo Mari and vases by Andrea Branzi. The vases are part of a collection of approximately 300 Zana has amassed over the years. Italian painter Bruno Capacci's artwork is featured on the wall near the Élysée floor lamp by Pierre Paulin.

Zana’s home spans three levels. A Lava desk by Charles Zana, a chair by Wharton Esherick Ash, a Monoliti sculpture by Andrea Branzi and a lamp by Martin Laforêt from Carpenters Workshop Gallery feature in the entrance. A drawing by Adel Abdessemed appears on the wall.

Zana has facilitated a dialogue between these iconic pieces and his own furniture designs. While he has always created custom furniture for his projects, the architect launched Charles Zana Mobilier three years ago, working with the country’s most revered artisans on handcrafted furniture and objects. The mobilier favours simple, monolithic forms where curved lines contrast raw materials, such as travertine, suede, woven leather, cedarwood and oak. In the living room, the Franck easy chair in suede and patinated bronze is one of the architect’s most recognised designs, alongside his fabric Champel sofa. Zana's patinated bronze Archipel suspension lamp in the dining area, was inspired by Italian painter Giorgio Morandi’s still-life paintings.

Platone suspension lamp by Andrea Branzi, a console table by Mathieu Matégot topped with a DM table lamp by Charles Zana and ceramics by Ettore Sottsass, and a Warton chair by Charles Zana. A photograph of Hiroshi Sugimoto appears on the wall.

The Indra headboard by Charles Zana, with a bedside table by Arne Jacobsen and a Brasilia lamp by Michel Boyer. A bamboo and paper floor lamp by Andrea Branzi appears in the corner, next to Untitled by David Salle.

This dialogue continues with the artwork on display, including sculptures by Italian ceramicist Fausto Melotti, French painter and sculptor Fernand Léger, and black and white photography by French-American industrial designer Raymond Loewy. While he admits his collection is never complete, Zana’s home reflects his commitment to proportion and balance through every piece and the spaces they inhabit.

Cubes from SuperStudio and a vase by Ettore Sottsass are displayed on the fireplace mantle. On the left is a console table by Ron Arad and a sculpture by Italian sculptor and ceramicist Fausto Melotti. Zana’s Djo armchair is pictured in the dressing room.