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.
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...
Metal
Latonda chair designed by Mario Botta for Alias, Italy 1987
By Mario Botta, Alias
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...
Steel
$1,201Sale Price / item|42% Off
1980s Postmodern Mario Botta Latonda Chair for Alias (two available) -- 1 pc
By Mario Botta, Alias
Located in Basel, BS
What a beauty! Stunning RARE Mario Botta accent chair for any space! Very fast shipping, insured 7-21 days. RARE Black leather model, with silver frame. Chair "Latonda" Production: ...
Metal
Mario Botta Prima Model Chair by Alias, 1982, Italy
By Mario Botta
Located in Brussels, BE
Iconic Mario Botta Prima chair by Alias, 1982, Italy. Black and light grey enameled steel, dark grey polyurethane foam cylinder. Dimensions: 72 cm H, 57 cm D, 48 cm W, seat height: 4...
Metal
"Quinta" chair, design Mario BOTTA for ALIAS, blue version. Italy, 1980s
By Alias, Mario Botta
Located in Torino, IT
Quinta chair, design Mario BOTTA for ALIAS, blue version. ORIGIN Italy PERIOD Anni 80 DESIGNER Mario BOTTA for ALIAS MODEL Fifth MATERIALS Light blue lacquered metal DIMENSIONS...
Metal
$2,332Sale Price / item|20% Off
Alias 602 Seconda armchair in Black
By Mario Botta, Alias
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 ...
Steel
$2,332Sale Price / item|20% Off
Alias 602 Seconda Chair with Arms in Black Steel Sheet Seat and Lacquered Frame
By Mario Botta, Alias
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Alias 602 Seconda Chair with Arms in Black Steel Sheet Seat and Lacquered Frame by Mario Botta Chair with arms, with structure in lacquered ...
Steel
"Quinta" Dining Chairs by Mario Botta for Alias, 1980s, set of 8
By Alias, Mario Botta
Located in bruxelles, BE
Set of 8 black metal chairs designed by Mario Botta for Alias. Quinta model. Stamped Alias. Seat height: 43 cm Wear due to time and age. FOR SHIPPING, REQUEST US FOR RECEIVE THE BEST...
Metal
Mario Botta for Alias 'Obliqua' Sofa in Zebra Print Upholstery
By Mario Botta, Alias
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Mario Botta for Alias, sofa, model ´Obliqua´, fabric, black lacquered wood, Italy, circa 1983. 'Obliqua' sofa designed by Mario Botta for Italian manufacturer Alias in the 1980s. U...
Fabric, Wood
$4,195 / item
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
$1,200 / item
Quinta Chairs by Mario Botta for Alias, Italy, 1980s
By Alias, Mario Botta
Located in Antwerp, BE
Designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta for Alias in the 1980s, the Quinta chair is a striking example of postmodern Italian furniture design. Its bold frame is constructed from blac...
Steel
Italian postmodern metal Quinta 605 chair by Mario Botta for Alias, 1980s
By Alias, Mario Botta
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian postmodern metal Quinta 605 chair by Mario Botta for Alias, 1980s. Quinta 605 chair, postmodern Italian, in metal by Mario Botta for Alias 1980 Quinta 605 armchair with seat ...
Metal
Mario Botta, 4 'Seconda' Black Metal Chairs, Alias Mod. 602, 1980s
By Mario Botta
Located in Argelato, BO
Three 'Seconda' chairs designed by the famous architect Mario Botta for the Italian firm Alias, model 602. All 4 are painted black both in the structure and in the seat, they bear ...
Steel
Mario Botta, 4 'Seconda' Metal Chairs, Alias Mod. 602, 1980s
By Mario Botta
Located in Argelato, BO
Mario Botta, set of 4 "Seconda" Armchairs produced by Alias, Italy 1982. Structure with armrests in gray powder-coated steel, black seat in perforated steel sheet. Backrest made up...
Steel
Outdoor Stool Made Of Single Black Of Scented Cedarwood-Natural
By Mario Botta
Located in NEW YORK, NY
The Classidra stool by Riva 1920 is an iconic piece designed by Mario Botta Italy. This stool is crafted from a single block of aromatic cedar wood, characterized by its unique hourg...
Cedar
$2,021Sale Price / item|20% Off
Rare Black Leather Model 91 Chair by Mario Botta for Alias, 1991
By Mario Botta, Alias
Located in Basel, BS
What a beauty! Stunning accent chair for any space! Very fast shipping, insured 7-21 days. RARE Black leather model, with black frame. Chair "Botta '91" 1989 Design: 1989 Production...
Metal
Pair Seconda Postmodern armchairs by Mario Botta for Alias, 1980s, Set of 2
By Alias, Shiro Kuramata, Michele de Lucchi, Philippe Starck, Mario Botta
Located in Brussels, Brussels
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...
Steel, Sheet Metal
$1,177 / item
Quinta chair by Mario Botta for Alias, 1985.
By Alias, Mario Botta
Located in Athens, Attiki
Quinta chairs by Mario Botta for Alias, 1985.
Metal
$2,437Sale Price / set|40% Off
PAIR 1980s Postmodern Mario Botta Latonda Chair for Alias - 2 pcs
By Alias, Mario Botta
Located in Basel, BS
What Beauties! Stunning RARE PAIR of Mario Botta accent chairs for any space! Very fast shipping, insured 7-21 days. RARE Black leather model, with silver frame. Chair "Latonda" Pro...
Metal
Seconda Chairs by Mario Botta for Alias, Set of 4 circa 1980
By Mario Botta
Located in Greensboro, NC
Set of 4 “Seconda” chairs designed by Italian architect and designer Mario Botta. These chairs are a vintage Alias production, circa 1980s. Chairs show well with minor wear commens...
Metal
Classidra Stool By Mario Botta For Riva 1920 Made Of Scented Cedar-Vulacno
By Mario Botta
Located in NEW YORK, NY
The Classidra stool by Riva 1920 is an iconic piece designed by Mario Botta Italy. This stool is crafted from a single block of aromatic cedar wood, characterized by its unique hourg...
Cedar
Swiss ‘Quinta’ Accent Chair by Mario Botta for Alias, 1985
By Mario Botta
Located in Chicago, IL
Designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta for Alias in 1985, the ‘Quinta’ chair is composed of a black-lacquered steel rod frame with a perforated sheet metal seat and back. Its archit...
Metal, Steel
"Seconda 602" Chairs by Mario Botta for Alias, 1980s, set of 6
By Alias, Mario Botta
Located in bruxelles, BE
Set of 6 gray and black chairs by Mario Botta. Stamped Alias. Seat height: 46 cm. Wear due to time and age of chairs. For shipping, request us for receive the best price.
Metal
Armchair Casamania & Horm Charlotte design Mario Botta
By Mario Botta, Horm
Located in Alcamo, IT
Brand: HORM Model: Charlotte Armchair Designer: Mario Botta Charlotte stems from the architectural language of Mario Botta, where the purity of geometric volumes meets the balance o...
Metal
Low stool Coffee table made of a single block of cedar Riva 1920 Clessidra Black
By Riva 1920, Mario Botta
Located in Alcamo, IT
Brand: Riva 1920 Model: Hourglass Design by: Mario Botta Clessidra is conceived as both a stool and a coffee table, carved from a single block of solid cedar. Designed by Mario Bott...
Cedar
Low stool / Coffee table made of a single block of cedar Riva 1920 Clessidra
By Riva 1920, Mario Botta
Located in Alcamo, IT
Brand: Riva 1920 Model: Hourglass Design by: Mario Botta Clessidra is conceived as both a stool and a coffee table, carved from a single block of solid scented cedar. Designed by Ma...
Cedar
Italian modern light green blue chairs Quinta 605 by Mario Botta Alias, 1980s
By Mario Botta, Alias
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern light green blue chairs Quinta 605 by Mario Botta Alias, 1980s Pair of chairs mod. Quinta 605 in metal. The seat and backrest are made of a sheet of micro-perforated m...
Metal
Mario Botta, 'Seconda' Black Metal Chairs, Alias Mod. 602, 1980s
By Mario Botta
Located in Argelato, BO
Three 'Seconda' chairs designed by the famous architect Mario Botta for the Italian firm Alias, model 602. All three are painted black both in the structure and in the seat, they bea...
Steel
1987 Set of Four Dining Chairs La Tonda Mario Botta Italian Orange Leather Metal
By Alias, Mario Botta
Located in Milano, IT
A set of four ‘Latonda’ chairs, 1987 Tubular metal structure with seat in orange stretched leather. Made by Alias, Italy. Sticky label ‘Alias Italy’ on the metal structure underne...
Metal
1980s Pair of Postmodern Mario Botta for Alias Seconda Chairs with Arms in Gray
By Alias, Mario Botta
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is a pair of postmodern Mario Botta Seconda armchairs, produced by Alias circa the mid 1980s. These are gorgeous and iconic works b...
Metal
Pair of Quinta Chairs by Mario Botta for Alias, Black Perforated Steel, 1985
By Alias, Mario Botta
Located in Milano, IT
This pair of QUINTA chairs, designed in 1985 by renowned architect Mario Botta for Alias Design, embody the rigorous geometric language and architectural precision characteristic of ...
Metal, Steel
Postmodern Swiss Design - Mario Botta, Obliqua Lounge Chair for Alias, 1980s
By Alias, Mario Botta
Located in Renens, CH
Obliqua lounge chair by the Swiss architect and designer Mario Botta (1943) for Alias Italy. The lines of these series of lounge chairs and sofas are sharp, rational and symmetric,...
Leather
Quinta Chair by Mario Botta for Alias, Black Steel, Italy 1980
By Mario Botta, Alias
Located in TOURS, FR
Quinta chair (model 605) by Mario Botta, for Alias Black lacquered steel structure, seat and back in black perforated sheet steel
Metal
Set of Four "Quinta" Chairs Designed by Mario Botta for Alias, 1985
By Alias, Mario Botta
Located in taranto, IT
Set of four "Quinta" model chairs, designed by Mario Botta for Alias, in the 1980s. Entirely made of metal, with a very particular shape, they are in excellent condition. Measu...
Metal
Mario Botta Latonda Chair
By Mario Botta, Alias
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...
Steel, Sheet Metal
1987 Set of Four Dining Chairs La Tonda Mario Botta Italian Orange Leather Metal
By Alias, Mario Botta
Located in Milano, IT
A set of four ‘Latonda’ chairs, 1987 Tubular metal structure with seat in orange stretched leather. Made by Alias, Italy. Sticky label ‘Alias Italy’ on the metal structure underne...
Metal
$3,785 / item
Charlotte Armchair by Mario Botta
By Mario Botta, Horm
Located in Milan, IT
An example of skillful craftsmanship in a sophisticated, modern design, this armchair by Mario Botta comprises a structure in white-painted metal covered entirely by natural wicker. ...
Metal
Mario Botta La Quinta Mint Green + Black chair Alias, Switzerland 1985 One Chair
By Mario Botta, Alias
Located in Basel, BS
Fast Shipping, insured in 8-15 days. Mint condition original 1980s La Quinta chair by Mario Botta Chair for Alias. Rare mint green + black edition. Two available, sold here as a s...
Metal, Sheet Metal
$915Sale Price / item|20% Off
Alias Zeta stool by Mario Botta
By Mario Botta, Alias
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Zeta stool recalls the letter from which it takes its name: two square elements, serving as base and seat, are joined by a diagonal element secured by a comb joint at each end. T...
Natural Fiber
Low stool / Coffee table made of a single block of cedar Riva 1920 Rock-etto
By Mario Botta, Riva 1920
Located in Alcamo, IT
Brand: Riva 1920 Model: Rock-etto Design: C.R. & S. RIVA1920 and Enterprise Technologies Rock-etto is a sculptural piece conceived as both a low stool and a coffee table, carved fro...
Cedar
Mario Botta for Alias Pair of 'Obliqua' Sofas in Zebra Print Upholstery
By Alias, Mario Botta
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Mario Botta for Alias, pair of sofas, model ´Obliqua´, fabric, black lacquered wood, Italy, circa 1983. Bold pair of 'Obliqua' sofas designed by Mario Botta for Alias. Upholstered ...
Fabric, Wood
Bench Riva 1920 Bottea Design Mario Botta - Oak from Barrique barrels
By Mario Botta, Riva 1920
Located in Alcamo, IT
Brand: Riva 1920 Model: Bottea Design by: Mario Botta The Bottea bench is entirely crafted from oak reclaimed from Barrique barrels, embodying a powerful dialogue between geometric ...
Wood
"Quinta" Dining Chairs by Mario Botta for Alias, 1980s, set of 4
By Mario Botta, Alias
Located in Argelato, BO
The set of four Quinta chairs, designed by renowned Swiss architect Mario Botta for the Italian company Alias in 1985, is an icon of Italian postmodern design. These chairs, which ...
Metal
Mario Botta Set of Six La Tonda Chairs in Black Lacquered Metal by Alias 1980s
By Mario Botta, Alias
Located in Cascina, Pisa
Set of six 614 or La Tonda chairs in black lacquered tubular metal frame with seats in black lacquered perforated sheet metal, designed by Mario Botta and produced by Alias in 1980s....
Metal, Sheet Metal
Postmodern Vintage Six Black Metal Armchairs Quinta Mario Botta Italy 1985
By Mario Botta
Located in Vienna, AT
Postmodern six ( 6 ) armchairs or dining chairs designed by Maria Botta 1985, Italy for Alias, Italy. A great and extraordinary set of six ( 6 ) dining chairs or armchairs in amazing...
Sheet Metal
Late 20th Century Charlotte Armchair by Mario Botta, Italy, 1994
By Mario Botta
Located in London, GB
The hallmark of Mario Botta’s architecture, characterized by purely geometric and cleverly interconnected volumes, is clearly visible in the Charlotte chair, edited by Horm. The cyli...
Wicker
SET DI 6 sedie "Quinta" di Mario Botta per Alias
By Alias, Mario Botta
Located in Milano, MI
Sedia Quinta 605, italiana postmoderna, in metallo di Mario Botta per Alias 1980 Poltrona Quinta 605 con seduta e schienale composti da due lastre di metallo microforato e piegato, l...
Iron