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Mario Botta

Swiss, b. 1943

Swiss architect Mario Botta may be renowned for his impressive postmodern architecture projects such as the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, but the chairs, lighting and other furniture he created reflect a mastery of geometrically rich forms and an elegant application of simple symmetry.

Born in Mendrisio, Switzerland, in 1943, Botta gained an interest in architecture at an early age. He apprenticed at the architectural firm Carloni and Camenisch and designed his first building — a two-family house at Morbis Superiore in Ticino — at age 16. During the early 1960s, Botta attended the Liceo Artistico in Milan and then studied at the University Institute of Architecture in Venice under art historian Giuseppe Mazzariol and influential Italian architect Carlo Scarpa.

While studying in Venice, Botta worked for Swiss-born French architect Le Corbusier — whose career spanned hundreds of architecture projects — and gained inspiration from Estonian-American architect Louis Kahn, who was known for his modern and brutalist architectural style. In 1969, Botta completed his studies and established his practice in Lugano, designing and building single-family homes.

Throughout the 1970s, Botta gained fame for his innovative, geometrical designs and deceptively simple forms, such as his first large-scale building project in 1977 — the Middle School in Morbio Inferiore, Switzerland. Botta later established himself as one of the masters of 1980s postmodern design in his architecture and his furniture. His postmodern ideas characterize the dining room tables and seating he designed for companies such as Alias, as well as his table lamps and floor lamps for Artemide.

Botta’s noteworthy architectural projects designed during the 1990s and 2000s include the Cymbalista Synagogue and Jewish Heritage Center in Tel Aviv, Israel; the Monastery of the Holy Apostles Saint Peter and Andrew in Lviv, Ukraine; and the Theater of Architecture in Mendrisio, in 2018.

On 1stDibs, discover a range of vintage Mario Botta lighting fixtures, seating, tables and decorative objects.

Average Sold Price
$2,546
Styles
Materials
Related Creators
Postmodern Italian Quinta Black Perforated Metal Chair Mario Botta Alias 1980s
Postmodern Italian Quinta Black Perforated Metal Chair Mario Botta Alias 1980s

Postmodern Italian Quinta Black Perforated Metal Chair Mario Botta Alias 1980s

By Alias, Mario Botta

Located in Hamburg, DE

Postmodern armchair by Italian manufacturer Alias, designed by Mario Botta in the 1980s. A timeless design classic from the 1980s. Classic black and made entirely of metal. Naturall...

Category

20th Century Italian Post-Modern Mario Botta

Materials

Metal

Shogun Floor Lamp by Mario Botta for Artemide, 1980s
Shogun Floor Lamp by Mario Botta for Artemide, 1980s

Shogun Floor Lamp by Mario Botta for Artemide, 1980s

$4,875

H 78.7 in W 12.6 in D 12.6 in

Shogun Floor Lamp by Mario Botta for Artemide, 1980s

By Mario Botta, Artimide

Located in Littleton, CO

An iconic postmodern design by Swiss architect and designer Mario Botta, the Shogun floor lamp was produced by Artemide in Italy during the 1980s and has since become one of the comp...

Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Mario Botta

Materials

Metal, Enamel, Iron

Alias Saturno 48 Low Table by Mario Botta
Alias Saturno 48 Low Table by Mario Botta

Alias Saturno 48 Low Table by Mario Botta

$1,408Sale Price / item|20% Off

H 18.9 in Dm 18.9 in

Alias Saturno 48 Low Table by Mario Botta

By Alias, Mario Botta

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Coffee table with base made of four elements in MDF Valchromat® (mass-coloured and transparent lacquered) attached to a structural steel cylinder, glossy black lacquered. Top availa...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mario Botta

Materials

Aluminum

Mario Botta Pair of Vintage 'Shogun' Table Lamps for Artemide, 1986
Mario Botta Pair of Vintage 'Shogun' Table Lamps for Artemide, 1986

Mario Botta Pair of Vintage 'Shogun' Table Lamps for Artemide, 1986

By Artemide, Mario Botta

Located in Tilburg, NL

Exceptional pair of iconic vintage 'Shogun' Table Lamps by architect and designer Mario Botta (1943) for Artemide 1986. Straight from the first owners, these table lamps have always...

Category

Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Mario Botta

Materials

Metal

1 (of 4) Pair of Silver Artemide Shogun Wall Lights by Mario Botta, 1980s
1 (of 4) Pair of Silver Artemide Shogun Wall Lights by Mario Botta, 1980s

1 (of 4) Pair of Silver Artemide Shogun Wall Lights by Mario Botta, 1980s

By Artemide, Mario Botta

Located in Niederdorfelden, Hessen

Elegant pair of Artemide Shogun Parete wall lamps designed by Mario Botta for Artemide, Milano, Italy in 1980s. Marked on the frame. Mario Botta is a postmodern Swiss architect and designer, renowned for his striking geometric forms. Artemide is a Italian manufacturer founded by Ernesto Gismondi and Sergio Mazza in 1960. The design of the lamp is based upon the form of a samurai’s visor. The two perforated silver enameled steel sheet shades are adjustable, which creates a great light / shadow effect. The Shogun wall lamp...

Category

Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Mario Botta

Materials

Metal, Silver Plate

Chaise Morelato
Chaise Morelato

Chaise Morelato

$4,195 / item

H 28.75 in W 31.5 in D 24.02 in

Chaise Morelato

By Morelato, Mario Botta

Located in Milan, IT

Designed by Mario Botta, this exquisite chair is a functional sculpture and will make an arresting effect in any room it is placed. The geometric shape...

Category

2010s Italian Mario Botta

Materials

Textile, Birch

Mario Botta for Artemide ‘Shogun’ Floor Lamp
Mario Botta for Artemide ‘Shogun’ Floor Lamp

Mario Botta for Artemide ‘Shogun’ Floor Lamp

$6,450

H 76.78 in W 11.82 in D 12.41 in

Mario Botta for Artemide ‘Shogun’ Floor Lamp

By Mario Botta, Artemide

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Mario Botta for Artemide, 'Shogun' floor lamp, aluminum, steel, Italy, 1986 Mario Botta referred to lamps as “people”. He said: "Shogun is a person. He has a head, body and feet, ...

Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Mario Botta

Materials

Aluminum, Steel

Alias 602 Seconda armchair in Black
Alias 602 Seconda armchair in Black

Alias 602 Seconda armchair in Black

$2,332Sale Price / item|20% Off

H 28.35 in W 20.48 in D 22.84 in

Alias 602 Seconda armchair in Black

By Alias, Mario Botta

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Alias 602 Seconda Chair with Arms in White Steel Sheet Seat and Lacquered Frame by Mario Botta Chair with arms, with structure in lacquered ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mario Botta

Materials

Steel

Browse all Furniture from Mario Botta
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Mario Botta Sale Prices

Sold DateSold PriceCategoryMaterialCreation Year
2026$2,995Chairs, ArmchairsMetal, Sheet Metalcirca 1980
2025$1,902Table LampsMetal1986
2025$1,905Wall Lights and SconcesMetal1980
2025$2,610Chandeliers and PendantsMetal1980
2025$2,345Table LampsMetal, Plastic1990
$2,546
Average sold price of items in the past 12 months
$1,902-$3,568
Sold price range of items in the past 12 months

Creators Similar to Mario Botta

Mario Botta furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Mario Botta furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Mario Botta furniture, although black editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 85 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 6 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Mario Botta were created in the mid-century modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Pallucco, Cattelan Italia, and Rodney Kinsman. Prices for Mario Botta furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $900 and can go as high as $19,400, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $3,633.
Questions About Mario Botta
  • 1stDibs ExpertJanuary 10, 2025
    Mario Botta is famous for his work as an architect and designer. He is renowned for his impressive postmodern architecture projects, such as the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. However, the chairs, lighting and other furniture he created reflect a mastery of geometrically rich forms and an elegant application of simple symmetry. Botta’s noteworthy architectural projects designed during the 1990s and 2000s include the Cymbalista Synagogue and Jewish Heritage Center in Tel Aviv, Israel; the Monastery of the Holy Apostles Saint Peter and Andrew in Lviv, Ukraine; and the Theater of Architecture in Mendrisio, Switzerland. On 1stDibs, explore a range of Mario Botta furniture.