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 |
$1,765
H 37.01 in W 17.92 in D 22.45 in
Postmodern Italian Quinta Black Perforated Metal Chair Mario Botta Alias 1980s
By Mario Botta, Alias
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...
Metal
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...
Metal, Enamel, Iron
$5,500 / set
H 22.45 in W 12.6 in D 12.6 in
Mario Botta Pair of Vintage 'Shogun' Table Lamps for Artemide, 1986
By Mario Botta, Artemide
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...
Metal
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...
Aluminum
$6,950 / set
H 13 in W 13 in D 13.39 in
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...
Metal, Silver Plate
Chaise Morelato
By Mario Botta, Morelato
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...
Textile, Birch
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, ...
Aluminum, Steel
'Shogun' Table Lamp by Mario Botta for Artemide
By Mario Botta, Artemide
Located in Glendale, CA
'Shogun' Table Lamp by Mario Botta for Artemide. Originally designed in 1986, the authorized re-edition of this table lamp is still made in Italy today using only the finest quality materials and scrupulous attention to detail by Artemide. 'Shogun' is part of the Artemide masterpieces collection and is featured in the collections of museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The lamp remains an icon, and a stunning work of contemporary design. Its adjustable shade marries functionality with design eloquently. Mario Botta was born in 1943 in Mendrisio, Switzerland. In his work he took inspiration from such masters as Le Corbusier, Louis I...
Metal, Steel
| Sold Date | Sold Price | Category | Material | Creation Year | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| $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 |
