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.
PostModern Giorgetti SPRING Desk/Office Chair / Massimo Scolari (Italy)
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 Massimo Scolari, Giorgetti S.p.A.
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
Post Modern Knoll Swivel Desk, Office, Chairs 11 Available
By Don Chadwick, Knoll
Located in New York, NY
Exceptional Knoll swivel desk chair(s) from the 1970's, in rich brown formed foam upholstery, on five star base. The chair swivels a full 360, and the base is on double wheel coaster...
Plastic
Vintage Herman Miller Aeron Office Desk Chair
By Herman Miller
Located in Clarksboro, NJ
This listing is for a Vintage Herman Miller Aeron Office Desk Chair. Featuring lumbar support, polished aluminum, tuxedo pellicle, and black leathe...
Aluminum
$4,727 / set
H 34.65 in W 24.41 in D 25.99 in
Set of 2 pcs. Giorgetti Progetti Armchairs by Umberto Asnago
By Umberto Asnago, Giorgetti S.p.A.
Located in Vilnius, LT
Set of 2 pcs. vintage Progetti armchairs, designed by Umberto Asnago. Manufacture date circa 1990's by Giorgetti, Italy. Labeled on the bottom and upholstery. In original white color...
Textile, Wood
Eames Management Office Desk Chair by Herman Miller
By Herman Miller, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Gorgeous edition of the classic Eames office chair for Herman Miller. Management armchair is executed in polished aluminum and bla...
Aluminum
$8,993 / 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
Office chair and desk vintage MIM
By MIM Roma
Located in Bastia Umbra, IT
Beautiful vintage desk chair dating from the 1980s last century. Manufactured in Italy by the company MIM mim mobili spa, this chair has a chrome-plated metal frame with integrated s...
Metal
1960s Herman Miller Eames Swivel Office Desk Chair
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Vintage 1960s Herman Miller Eames fiberglass shell office or desk chair. Swivel base with wheels. Shell in good condition. Base constructed of cast aluminum. Presents nicely in even ...
Aluminum
$3,351Sale 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
$3,093Sale 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
Cofemo Italy leather office chair 80s
By Cofemo
Located in Ludwigslust, DE
Very futuristic, elegant looking office chair made of thick saddle leather in very good condition. The black leather only shows slight signs of wear on the armrests. The leather is s...
Leather
$3,034Sale Price / set|35% Off
H 40.95 in W 23.63 in D 26.78 in
Set of 2 pcs. Giorgetti Progetti Armchairs by Umberto Asnago
By Umberto Asnago, Giorgetti S.p.A.
Located in Vilnius, LT
Set of 2 pcs. vintage Progetti armchairs, designed by Umberto Asnago. Manufacture date circa 1990's by Giorgetti, Italy. Labeled on the bottom. In original textile removable upholste...
Textile, 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 Giorgetti S.p.A., Massimo Scolari
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 Giorgetti S.p.A., Massimo Scolari
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