Inside Japanese Manse Late Fashion Designer Kenz Takada in Paris – Robb Report

Home of the late Japanese fashion designer Kenzō Takada, called the Kenzo House, is an esthete’s dream. While not reminiscent of the exuberant prints, bold colors and risk-taking silhouettes seen on its high-profile luxury fashion brands, this property does have the precise craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail that creatives in every room are known for. The residence, found in the historic Bastille district of Paris, blends traditional Japanese design with Haussman architecture, and can now be yours.

Takada, who died in 2020 at the age of 81 from complications of Covid, was born in Japan but lived in Paris for most of his life; the designer is credited with bringing Japanese fashion into the mainstream. She infused energy into the high fashion runways of the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, her brand continues to delight today with its polychrome ready-to-wear collections. He moved to the City of Light in 1964 and built this house in 1988 (finished in 1993). It was then redesigned in 2018 by renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, who continues Takada’s vision of blending East-meets-West design through culture, art, texture, color, light and form.

Sitting amidst the courtyard of an 18th-century apartment building, Kenzo House spans 13,778 square feet with four bedrooms and six bathrooms across four floors. From the moment you step into the property you are instantly teleported out of Paris. The cedar-clad house is built around an interior courtyard, which features an original Japanese garden, a stone-lined pond filled with water nishiki goldfish, and cherry trees. As part of the redesign, Kuma reconfigured the layout to direct each room’s view onto the garden. He also incorporated more traditional Japanese building materials, such as ceramic, stone, bamboo, and wood, as well as cedar, teak, and clay shingles, to add texture and warmth to the exterior.

The corner home interior architecture is warm, inviting, and minimalist, reflecting traditional Japanese style with clean lines and neutral colors. Almost every room has floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing natural light and views of nature to enter. Kuma crafted the interior with French oak latticework, exposed beams and wood floors that mimic the finishes of Takada’s original creations. In accordance with Japanese design, many traditional rooms are combined.

Some of these spaces include engawaa traditional Japanese exterior corridor made of wooden latticework which replaces an indoor lap pool, and a Japanese pavilion with a tea ceremony room which has tatami mat and shoji sliding door that opens to the koi pond. The garden also incorporates cherry and maple trees, bamboo, juniper, moss and waterfalls that resemble the Japanese landscape. Other interior features include a driftwood staircase, which gives the living room a more modern feel, and an upgraded version of a wood-burning fireplace.

There are also three self-contained studio apartments for staff or visiting guests, as well as two reception rooms, two dining rooms, two kitchens, a music room, study, wine cellar and fitness room. The house also has lots of gallery-like wall spaces, like a stairwell with museum-quality lighting and plenty of space to showcase art. And you can use the manse elevator to travel to each of the four levels.

“Kenzo House has no competition,” says Marie-Hélène Lundgreen of Belles demeures de France, a subsidiary of Daniel Féau Conseil Immobilier, an affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate in Paris. “You are buying not only a property with Kenzo House, but a work of art that inspires serenity and the art of living.”

This residence is ideal for those who like to entertain, both indoors and outdoors. The beautiful mezzanine overlooks the living area and has its own patio, complete with a freestanding fireplace and floor-to-ceiling shelving for books and art. Outside, the possibilities for exploration abound, thanks to the walking paths between the courtyard and patio.

Check out more photos of the Kenzo House below: