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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
$3,097
Styles
Materials
Related Creators
Latonda chair designed by Mario Botta for Alias, Italy 1987
By Alias, Mario Botta
Located in Milano, IT
Latonda chair designed by Mario Botta for Alias, Italy 1987 The bent steel tube traces a fluid curve that gracefully moves through space. The two inclined circles, broken at the cen...
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Mario Botta

Materials

Steel

Pair Seconda Postmodern armchairs by Mario Botta for Alias, 1980s, Set of 2
By Mario Botta, Shiro Kuramata, Michele de Lucchi, Alias, Philippe Starck
Located in Vorst, BE
The Seconda Armchair, designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta and crafted by Alias, is a bold icon of postmodern design. Launched in 1982, it showcases Botta’s architectural backgro...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Post-Modern Mario Botta

Materials

Steel, Sheet Metal

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

Chaise Morelato
Chaise Morelato
H 28.75 in W 31.5 in D 24.02 in
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

Monumental Postmodern Shogun Floor Lamp by Mario Botta for Artemide Italy 1980s
By Artemide, Mario Botta
Located in Munich, DE
Monumental postmodern "Shogun Terra" Floor Lamp. Designed by Mario Botta for Artemide, Italy, 1980s. Marked on the top of the shaft. Two curved and per...
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Mario Botta

Materials

Iron, Metal

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

Mario Botta Latonda Chair
By Alias, Mario Botta
Located in Barcelona, ES
The 'Latonda' chair was designed by the famous Swiss architect Mario Botta in 1987 for the Italian company Alias. This chair has become an icon of contemporary design and is characte...
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Mario Botta

Materials

Steel, Sheet Metal

Mario Botta Latonda Chair
Mario Botta Latonda Chair
H 28.75 in W 24.81 in D 28.75 in
Mario Botta "Nilla Rosa" Room Divider Screen for Alias, Italy 1980s
By Alias, Mario Botta
Located in Skokie, IL
Mario Botta rare "Nilla Rosa" room divider screen for Alias, Italy, 1980s. No longer in production. The room divider or paravent (screen) consists of two sheets of perforated metal b...
Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Mario Botta

Materials

Steel

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Mario Botta Sale Prices

Sold DateSold PriceCategoryMaterialCreation Year
2025$2,345Table LampsPlastic, Metal1990
2025$6,120Wall Lights and SconcesMetal1980s
2025$1,600Table LampsMetal, Plastic1980s
2024$2,252ChairsSteel2022
2024$3,510Coffee and Cocktail TablesWood2024
2024$3,300Chandeliers and PendantsSteelCirca 1990
2024$1,997Armchairs, ChairsSteel1982
$3,097
Average sold price of items in the past 12 months
$1,600-$6,120
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.

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