AFRA & TOBIA SCARPA
Born Montebelluna, Italy, 1937 & Born Venice, Italy, 1935
Widely recognized as superstars of postmodern Italian design, husband-and-wife-duo Afra and Tobia Scarpa designed together for over fifty years, creating an iconic body of work that knew no bounds. The Scarpas influenced the golden years of Italian design with their keen eye for material, technology and aesthetics that stand the test of time in works that span cookware, architecture, interior design, furniture, clothing, and art glass. Chic, distinctive, and cool, their works exhibit a pared-back elegance and sophisticated comfort that continue to complement both classical and ultra-contemporary interiors
Both Afra and Tobia Scarpa earned degrees in architecture from the Università Iuav di Venezia in 1957. Influenced by the groundbreaking work of Tobia’s father, the legendary architect Carlo Scarpa, the two artists opened their own design office in Montebelluna in 1960. the duo collaborated with a variety of Italian and international design companies, including B&B Italia, Flos, Knoll, Molteni, and Cassina to produce some of the most important works of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Notable projects include the iconic 1960 Bastiano collection, consisting of a sofa, lounge chair, and tables; the Coronado Armchair, a collection of polyurethane-padded furniture created using the then-new, cold-molded foaming process; the 1969 Soriana Armchair; and the 1973 Papillion Lamp, one of the first lighting designs to use halogen technology
Among the countless awards received, Afra and Tobia have the rare distinction of winning the Compasso d’Oro twice, first in 1969 and again in 2008 for lifetime achievement. Numerous publications are dedicated to their work and a number of their projects are exhibited in major international museums, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Victoria & Albert, and the Louvre
STUDIOTWENTYSEVEN
AFRA & TOBIA SCARPA
AFRA & TOBIA SCARPA
Born Montebelluna, Italy, 1937 & Born Venice, Italy, 1935
Widely recognized as superstars of postmodern Italian design, husband-and-wife-duo Afra and Tobia Scarpa designed together for over fifty years, creating an iconic body of work that knew no bounds. The Scarpas influenced the golden years of Italian design with their keen eye for material, technology and aesthetics that stand the test of time in works that span cookware, architecture, interior design, furniture, clothing, and art glass. Chic, distinctive, and cool, their works exhibit a pared-back elegance and sophisticated comfort that continue to complement both classical and ultra-contemporary interiors
Both Afra and Tobia Scarpa earned degrees in architecture from the Università Iuav di Venezia in 1957. Influenced by the groundbreaking work of Tobia’s father, the legendary architect Carlo Scarpa, the two artists opened their own design office in Montebelluna in 1960. the duo collaborated with a variety of Italian and international design companies, including B&B Italia, Flos, Knoll, Molteni, and Cassina to produce some of the most important works of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Notable projects include the iconic 1960 Bastiano collection, consisting of a sofa, lounge chair, and tables; the Coronado Armchair, a collection of polyurethane-padded furniture created using the then-new, cold-molded foaming process; the 1969 Soriana Armchair; and the 1973 Papillion Lamp, one of the first lighting designs to use halogen technology
Among the countless awards received, Afra and Tobia have the rare distinction of winning the Compasso d’Oro twice, first in 1969 and again in 2008 for lifetime achievement. Numerous publications are dedicated to their work and a number of their projects are exhibited in major international museums, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Victoria & Albert, and the Louvre
STUDIOTWENTYSEVEN