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.
Mario Botta, Robot, Cabinet / Chest of Drawers, Italy, 1980s
By Mario Botta, Alias
Located in Renens, CH
Mario Botta “Robot” – Chest of Drawers for Alias, Italy 1980s This sculptural piece is in its purest sense a vertical storage unit composed of stacked geo...
Steel
Vintage British Colonial Burnt Bamboo Chests of Drawers, 1980s
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Vintage rare pair of burnt bamboo British Colonial chest of drawers. Great attention to detail throughout.
Bamboo
Mario Ceroli, Chest of Drawers, Pine, Italy, 1970s
By Mario Ceroli
Located in High Point, NC
A pine chest of drawers designed by Mario Ceroli and produced by Poltronova, Italy, c. 1970s. Patina buildup on drawer face details. Mild to moderate imperfections. Minor wear to ...
Pine
$4,837
H 36.23 in W 47.25 in D 17.72 in
Postmodern Italian Dresser/Chest Colored Glass and Brass, 1980s
Located in Puglia, Puglia
An interesting colorful postmodern piece with a Pop Art twist, very fun Italian chest of drawers or dresser, 4 drawer front design in ivory and green, as well as rectangular Bordox g...
Brass
$10,500 / set
H 29.25 in W 31.55 in D 19.75 in
Hickory Manufacturing, Chests of Drawers, Hickory, Brass, USA, 1980s
By Hickory Manufacturing Company
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of brass and hickory chests of drawers produced by Hickory Manufacturing, USA, 1980s.
Brass
$8,060Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 88.59 in W 68.9 in D 92.52 in
1980s Green Canopy Bed and Chest of Drawers Dark Lacquer for Sormani, Italy
By Davide Pizzigoni & Manolo De Giorgi, Marco Comolli, Sormani
Located in Arosio, IT
Canopy bed An unusual canopy bed, named Fauno, manufactured by Sormani in very dark green (almost black) glossy lacquer, with 4 columns in grey nextel and a metal canopy in light apple green. The bed has multifunctional structures all around: two trays that work as night tables, one front tray that works as further support (for a TV-screen, for instance), and a back shelf of 17cm (6" 11/16) for your favorite books. All "trays" are adjustable as seen in pictures and can be also adjusted in height. The bed includes a wooden bed slat (see picture) with a metal frame, and a provisional mattress, while you buy your own favorite. Mattress size should be cm 160x200x20-25 (63 in × 79 in x ca. 9" 27/32). Size of bed: H 225 x W 175 x D 235 cm (7' 4" 37/64 x 5' 8" 57/64 x 7' 8" 33/64) Size of trays: cm 47 x 32 (1' 6" 1/2 x 1' 19/32). Height of bed (without mattress) cm 40 (1' 3" 3/4) Commode Chest of drawers in very dark green lacquer (the famous 20-gloss silky mat lacquer of Sormani) with six spacious drawers: two in elegant salmon lacquer, standing out with a colorful touch and four in dark green. Please note the skillful shape of each drawer front: a triangular shape with a recessed, convex upper part. In its simplicity, a real work of craftsmanship for an Industrial manufacturer such as Sormani of Arosio, Italy. Size of commode: cm H 78 W 160 D 52 (H 2' 6" 45/64 x W 5' 2" 63/64 x D 1' 8" 15/32) Perfect for the entrance or the bedroom of a sleek city apartment or even for a contemporary mountain hut. The piece is in very good conditions. Just normal wear and tear in some parts. Davide Pizzigoni...
Steel
$1,896Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 24.01 in W 21.65 in D 16.92 in
A pair of chests of drawers. Germany 1980s.
Located in VILLERS-SUR-MER, FR
A pair of small drawers on wheels with five drawers dressed in mirror. Grey lacquered structure. Germany 80’s.
Mirror, Wood
$1,950
H 33.5 in W 37.5 in D 18.75 in
Vintage Louis XV Style Chest of Drawers, Two-Drawer, Italy, 1980s
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Handsome two-drawer Louis XV style chest. Both drawers are accented with an antique white and black stripe.
Wood
Vintage 1980s Chest of Drawers by Pierre Cardin
By Pierre Cardin
Located in London, London
Chest of drawers by Pierre Cardin Brass knobs White lacquered wood 1970s-1980s France.
Wood
1980s Drexel Et Cetera Collection Chest of Drawers Chinoiserie
By Drexel
Located in Chula Vista, CA
AMBIANIC presents 1980s Drexel Et Cetera Collection Chest of Drawers Chinoiserie 24 h x 41.75 w x 20 d, Drawer 7 h x 14.75 d x 37 w top and bottom Preowned vintage condition Refer to...
Wood
$4,741
H 30.71 in W 63 in D 20.48 in
1980s Italian Dark Green Satin Lacquer Chest of Drawers by Sormani
By Davide Pizzigoni & Manolo De Giorgi, Sormani
Located in Arosio, IT
Chest of drawers in very dark green lacquer (the famous 20-gloss silky mat lacquer of Sormani) with six spacious drawers: two in elegant salmon lacquer, standing out with a colorful touch and four in dark green. Please note the skillful shape of each drawer front: a triangular shape with a recessed, convex upper part. In its simplicity, a real work of craftsmanship for an industrial manufacturer such as Sormani of Arosio, Italy. Perfect for the entrance or the bedroom of a sleek city apartment or even for a contemporary mountain hut. Davide Pizzigoni...
Steel
$907Sale Price|20% Off
H 34.65 in W 40.16 in D 18.51 in
Scandinavian pine wood chest of drawers, 1980s
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Beautifully crafted with the use of fine pine wood, this chest of drawers has been beautifully shaped and offers plenty of storage space thanks to its 4 large drawers with sturdy ha...
Pine
Guiseppe Rivadossi, Chest of Drawers, Oak, Italy, 1980s
By Giuseppe Rivadossi, Officina Rivadossi
Located in High Point, NC
A solid oak chest of drawers or dresser, designed by Guiseppe Rivadossi and produced by Officina Rivadossi, Italy, c. 1980s.
Oak
Mario Botta Robot 619 Chest of Drawers
By Mario Botta
Located in VILLEURBANNE, FR
The Robot 619 piece of furniture designed by Mario Botta has something very special : rising like a totem, it can be adapted to small spaces and acts both as a serie of drawers and ...
Wood
"Robot" chest of drawers by Mario Botta, Ed.Alias 1989
By Alias, Mario Botta
Located in Renens, CH
"Robot" chest of drawers by Mario Botta, Ed.Alias 1989. In 1989, the world famous Italian architect and designer Mario Botta designed the Robot 619 chest of drawers. Since then it h...
Steel
Mario Botta Robot Drawer Cabinet Elias Italy 1989
By Mario Botta
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Beautiful and minimalist Robot drawer cabinet by Architect and Designer Mario Botta, by Elias Italy 1989. The furniture that comes from the hand of the Swiss Architect could be seen ...
Metal