More than an architect and interior decorator, Charles Zana, is a curator of unique interiors, filled with stories and meaning, warm and reflective of the lives of those who happily live in it: emotions are an architectural element in Zana’s world. In order to achieve the best, Zana surrounds himself with the most talented craftsmen. Like an orchestra conductor, for each new project he brings together and leads the best artisans, lighting designers, and landscapers to play a “décor symphony”. All these talents – his orchestra – are the well-tuned players in shaping a project through all its stages, from conception to completion, always serving the higher purpose of creating the most harmonious interiors. When the last note echoes at the end of a flawless execution, the audience is in awe, begging for an encore…
Background
Born in Tunisia in 1960, Charles Zana grew up in Paris, where his family moved to when he was still a child. Surrounded by art – his father was a well-known art collector – he enrolled at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris to study architecture and, after graduating, he left the French capital for the Big Apple where he spent two years working for several architecture and design studios. Curious, restless and talented, he started focusing his energy on interior design. In 1988, he moved back to Paris, where he worked with Bernard Fric at Asymétrie Studio, perfecting his skills on interior design projects and international exhibitions. In 1990, he founded his own agency, Charles Zana Architecture, deploying his expert eye and impeccable taste in many residential and commercial projects all over the world, including London, Gstaad, Tel Aviv, Montecarlo, New York, and Paris…
Signature Style
Over the last two decades, Zana has forged his unmistakable style – bold and luxurious at the same time, with a nod to classic French style – working for discerning clients in need of a unique vision. Charles Zana’s vision is informed by his love for the arts and his passion for design. These are two topics he can talk about for hours on end, all too happy to share his vast knowledge on the latest contemporary exhibition, or any Italian master of design (Andrea Branzi, Ettore Sottsass, Enzo Mari…) with likeminded clients and friends. This passion is one of his trademarks, the starting point of his world-renowned interiors. For each one of his projects he takes a dual approach of both rigorous architect and cultured aesthete. First, the architect lays out the basis for comfort, fluid circulation, symmetry and state of the art planning when working and transforming an ancient building. Then the aesthete takes over with bold colours, elegant lines, and stunning furniture: like a scenographer he creates the perfect setting to showcase an art collection, without falling into the “white cube cliché”. For each home, for each new project, he writes a new story, referencing the history of art and design, though revisited with a personal, conceptual twist. More than an architect and interior decorator, Charles Zana, is a curator of unique interiors, filled with stories and meaning, warm and reflective of the lives of those who happily live in it: emotions are an architectural element in Zana’s world.
Showstoppers
A stately apartment in Paris, a sumptuous palazzo in Venice, a five-star hotel in St Barth, the Goyart boutique in Monte Carlo, David Mallett’s hair salon in New York… Charles Zana creates the most sublime interiors, elegant and warm, imbued with a unique atmosphere. For each project, he designs a specific furniture collection, creating some contemporary classics. We love the Alexandra Sofa for its plush feel and elegant versatility, the Djo Armchair with its simple and pure lines, the Calanque Table for its sculptural essence.
His latest book “Charles Zana: The Art of Interiors”, by Rizzoli, featuring hundreds of pictures of otherworldly interiors can be ordered here.
The Invisible Collection has the pleasure of presenting a selection of designs by Charles Zana, available for purchase through us.
