In his role as art director and furniture designer for Italian furniture brand Giorgetti, architect, educator and painter Massimo Scolari spent over a decade producing so many imaginative, sculptural postmodern pieces that it’s easy to lose count. The Novi Ligure native has always had an eye for good design — he is an equally acclaimed painter with works in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art and the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, and has taught at Harvard University, Cornell University and the University of Cambridge.
In 1969, Scolari completed his studies in architecture and became a professor in 1973. He taught architecture history in Palermo and drawing at Venice’s Istituto Universitario di Architettura di Venezia. From 1975 onward, Scolari was a visiting professor at many of the world’s top universities for nearly three decades while creating numerous installations for the La Biennale di Venezia and Milan Triennial.
Among Scolari’s notable furniture designs are the solid beechwood Spring swivel armchair, which is characterized by organic curves and has a backrest that features ebony insets, as well as the Erasmo and Zeno writing desks. Each piece offers innovative flourishes — the hidden spring in his armchair allows the sitter to lean back comfortably, which lends an unusual level of flexibility to the modern wooden seat, while his sleek writing desks are often outfitted with hidden drawers or secret pull-out compartments.
Scolari has exhibited across the United States. and Europe as well as in Russia and Japan. A retrospective of his work that featured over 100 paintings, drawings and architectural models was staged at the Cooper Union in 2012. For his distinct and creative contributions to architecture, Scolari was awarded the Arnold W. Brunner Memorial Prize in Architecture by the American Academy of Arts and Letters in New York in 2014.
Find vintage Massimo Scolari lighting, tables and seating on 1stDibs.
"Spring" Armchair by Massimo Scolari, Italian Design, Solid Beech Wood
By Massimo Scolari
Located in Tinton Falls, NJ
SPRING is a small armchair in polished solid beech wood, with ebony insets in the backrest. The seat is in nondeformable polyurethane, with fabric or leather covering. The arms and...
Leather, Wood, Beech, Ebony
Set of 4 Giorgetti “Normal” Armchair by Massimo Scolari, Leather & Fabric, Italy
By Giorgetti S.p.A., Massimo Scolari
Located in Traversetolo, IT
Set of four “Normal” armchairs designed by Massimo Scolari for Giorgetti, Italy. Each chair features a solid beechwood frame with a dark-stained finish. The structure combines rigid...
Leather, Fabric, Beech
Giorgetti Progetti Armchairs Pair
By Umberto Asnago, Giorgetti S.p.A.
Located in New York, NY
Pair of Umberto Asnago for Giorgetti Progetti arm or lounge chairs. Chairs are upholstered in off-white Bouclé with an oak and beech frame.
Bouclé, Beech, Oak
$15,634 / set
H 28.35 in W 24.81 in D 18.51 in
Italy Ghidini 1961 Set 6 Burnished Brass Armchairs Contemporary Design
By Ghidini 1961
Located in Brescia, IT
This three-legged armchair with a very comfortable backrest, is an invitation to relax, to enjoy the minutes slowly. Fully hand made in Italy. The price are referring to the burnishe...
Brass
Cantilever Armchair Designed by Magnus Olesen, Denmark, 1975
By Magnus Olesen, Rud Thygesen and Johnny Sorensen
Located in Antwerp, BE
Vintage cantilever armchair designed by Rud Thygesen and Johnny Sorensen for Magnus Olesen, Labeled Made in Denmark. Curved laminated beech wood design with light grey- green upholst...
Upholstery, Beech, Plywood
$3,950
H 43.31 in W 29.53 in D 31.89 in
Umberto Asnago Highback Chair for Giorgetti-Progetti Italy, 1980s
By Umberto Asnago, Giorgetti S.p.A.
Located in Almelo, NL
Umberto Asnago wingback chair for Giorgetti-Progetti, Italy, 1980s This is a beautiful wingback chair designed by Umberto Asnago for Giorgetti-Progetti in the 1980s. It has been up...
Metal
$1,550 / item
H 32.29 in W 23.23 in D 20.87 in
Aurora Office Chair by Simonini: Solid Wood, Leather Seat, Swivel
By SIMONINI
Located in Vila Cordeiro, São Paulo
Warm and inviting, the Aurora Collection, prestigious winner of the International IF Design Award 2023 and the German Design Awards 2023, now welcomes an addition with its office cha...
Leather, Textile, Upholstery, Faux Leather, Cane, Hardwood, Walnut
$1,550 / item
H 32.29 in W 23.23 in D 20.87 in
Aurora Office Chair by Designer Simonini, Solid Wood, Swivel
By SIMONINI
Located in Vila Cordeiro, São Paulo
Warm and inviting, the Aurora Collection, prestigious winner of the International IF Design Award 2023 and the German Design Awards 2023, now welcomes an addition with its office cha...
Leather, Textile, Upholstery, Faux Leather, Cane, Hardwood, Walnut
$8,888 / set
H 34.26 in W 26.38 in D 26.38 in
Pair of Giorgetti Italian Velvet Armchairs "Progetti", 1980s
By Giorgetti S.p.A.
Located in Puglia, Puglia
This pair of armchairs in solid ebonized beech and armrests in glossy Pau Ferro, the padding of the seat and back is in polyurethane foam. They have been completely restored and upho...
Velvet, Wood, Beech
$3,316Sale Price|20% Off
H 42.13 in W 28.75 in D 33.47 in
Vintage Giorgetti Progetti Armchair by Umberto Asnago
By Umberto Asnago, Giorgetti S.p.A.
Located in Vilnius, LT
Vintage Progetti armchair, designed by Umberto Asnago. Manufacture date circa 1980's by Giorgetti, Italy. Wooden frame in black color and natural wood inserts. In original removable ...
Textile, Wood
$2,200 / item
H 37.01 in W 26.78 in D 27.56 in
Handmade Mexican Contemporary Conacaste Solid Wood Living-Room Armchair
By Estrella Mora Zamorano
Located in Queretaro, Queretaro
Mexican architect Estrella Zamorano's collection "was born with the intention of returning the identity of Mexico's history to design, creating links between artisans and designers, so that working together we can weave a future respectful of ancestral techniques, as well as being an engine for the economic development of the communities that continue to work in an artisanal way," as she mentions in the interview. This beautiful armchair is crafted using high end solid conacaste wood (Enterolobium cyclocarpum) also known as Parota wood. By partnering with local communities in Michoacan, Mexico, Estrella collaborates with artisans from Ihuatzio and Cuanajo to create a durable, contemporary, and resistant beach house chair...
Natural Fiber, Wood, Bentwood
$3,055Sale Price|40% Off
H 47.25 in W 24.41 in D 17.72 in
Midcentury Giorgetti Progetti Leather Armchair by Umberto Asnago
By Umberto Asnago, Giorgetti S.p.A.
Located in Vilnius, LT
Vintage Progetti armchair, designed by Umberto Asnago. Manufacture date circa 1980s by Giorgetti, Italy. Labeled and stamped on the bottom. In dar...
Leather, Wood
Pair of French Art Deco Stained Beech Armchairs
Located in Long Island City, NY
A pair of French Art Deco orange stained beech armchairs with brass sabots.
Beech
$8,883 / set
H 42.13 in W 28.75 in D 33.47 in
Pair of Giorgetti Progetti Natural Alpaca Wool Armchairs by Umberto Asnago
By Giorgetti S.p.A., Umberto Asnago
Located in Vilnius, LT
Pair of vintage Progetti armchairs, designed by Umberto Asnago. Manufacture date circa 1980's by Giorgetti, Italy. Wooden frame in black color and natural wood inserts. In new white ...
Textile, Wool, Alpaca, Wood
Sold
H 35.83 in W 24.81 in D 18.9 in
Massimo Scolari for Giorgetti Beech and Ebony Spring Chair with Wheels, 1990s
By Massimo Scolari, Giorgetti S.p.A.
Located in Rochester, England
The Spring office chair was designed in 1994 by Massimo Scolari for Giorgetti to match the iconic Zeno desk. Constructed from polished beechwood, the chair sits on a comfortable s...
Leather, Beech, Ebony
Sold
H 35.04 in W 24.81 in D 16.93 in
Massimo Scolari for Giorgetti Beech and Ebony Spring Office Chair, 1990s
By Massimo Scolari, Giorgetti S.p.A.
Located in Rochester, England
The Spring office chair was designed in 1994 by Massimo Scolari for Giorgetti to match the iconic Zeno desk. Constructed from polished...
Beech, Leather, Ebony
Pair of Spring Swivel Armchairs by Massimo Scolari for Giorgetti Italy
By Massimo Scolari
Located in Miami, FL
A pair of early 21st century spring swivel armchairs by Massimo Scolari for Giorgetti Italy. Feature polished solid beech wood frames, ...
Fabric, Wood
Sold
H 35.44 in W 25.99 in D 25.99 in
Contemporary Giorgetti "Spring" Office Chair by Massimo Scolari, Italy, 1990s
By Massimo Scolari, Giorgetti S.p.A.
Located in Antwerp, BE
Massimo Scolari; "Spring" Office Chair; Giorgetti; Italy; 1990s; Aluminum; Beech; Leather; Italian Design; Italian Furniture; Contemporary; Art Nouveau; Minimalism; Eclectic Conte...
Aluminum
Sold
H 35.44 in W 17.72 in D 18.9 in
"Olimpia" Chair, Design by Massimo Scolari, Manufactured by Giorgetti, Italy
By Massimo Scolari, Giorgetti S.p.A.
Located in Wolfurt, AT
Set of 2 "Olimpia" chairs, design by Massimo Scolari, manufactured by Giorgetti, Italy. The frame of the chair is made of beechwood, the back rest with a wing motive.
Textile, Beech
Blue Leather Aladino Sofa by Massimo Scolari for Giorgetti
By Giorgetti S.p.A., Massimo Scolari
Located in Dronten, NL
The centre of this piece is a heavy keel shaped base in solid cherrywood. The two blue leather sofas on solid cherry legs with concealed wheels are connected to the base by means of ...
Brass