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.
Italian Post Modern Aladino Sofa Set by Massimo Scolari for Giorgetti, 1989
By Massimo Scolari, Giorgetti S.p.A.
Located in Traversetolo, IT
The Aladino sofa set, designed by Massimo Scolari for Giorgetti, is a distinctive example of Italian design combining sculptural forms with practical functionality. The set consists ...
Brass
$12,700
H 26.38 in W 125.99 in D 98.43 in
Italian Post-Modern Sectional Corner Sofa in Cognac Brown Leather
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Modular corner sofa, leather, Italy, 1970s A spacious L-shaped modular Italian corner sofa, upholstered in firm cognac leather. The cushions are generously padded with a rounded, pl...
Leather
$2,125Sale Price|50% Off
H 33 in W 86 in D 30 in
Superb Red & Black Nicoletti Salotti Post Modern Italian Leather Low Sofa
By Nicoletti Salotti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Red & black Nicoletti Salotti Post Modern Italian Leather Sofa. Very fun Beautiful pop art long leather sofa. Has unique back supports and legs upholstered in leather. Beautiful ...
Leather
$1,625Sale Price|50% Off
H 33 in W 65 in D 35 in
Red & Black Nicoletti Salotti Post Modern Italian Leather Low Loveseat Sofa
By Nicoletti Salotti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Red & Black 2 tone Nicoletti Salotti Post Modern Italian Leather Loveseat Sofa. Very fun Beautiful pop art leather sofa. Has unique back supports and legs upholstered in leather....
Leather
Italian Post-Modern Sculptural Sofa in Cognac Leather
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Sofa, cognac leather, sofa, Italy, circa 1970 This striking sofa is executed in beautiful cognac leather that contributes to a refined monochrome appearance, emphasizing the sculptu...
Leather
$2,550Sale Price|40% Off
H 28 in W 80 in D 35 in
Post modern beautiful beige leather 3 seat sofa by Busnelli
By Busnelli
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Beautiful soft Beige Leather 3 seat Sofa by Busnelli. Rare time capsule sofa in amazing condition. Great post modern design. circa 1980. Made in Italy. Located in Brooklyn NYC 28” H...
Leather
Felicerossi Italian Post-Modern Sectional Sofa, 1970s
By Felicerossi
Located in Antwerp, BE
A rare Felicerossi Italian post-modern sectional sofa in brown and beige fabric upholstery, produced in the 1970s. This organically shaped modular model consists of three units that ...
Metal
1980s Curved Post Modern Sofa by Directional
By Directional
Located in Chicago, IL
Stunning near mint condition 1980's Biomorphic Kidney Bean sofa by Directional. Comes in it's original upholstery, purchased from the original owner ...
Upholstery, Wood, Bentwood
Post Modern Sofa by Robert and Trix Haussmann for Knoll 1980's
By Knoll, Robert and Trix Haussmann
Located in New York, NY
Exceptional Post Modern sofa designed by Robert and Trix Haussmann for Knoll as part of The Lounge Seating series, circa 1980's. The upholstered box form sofa rests on an aluminum ...
Aluminum
$9,400
H 27.96 in W 88.98 in D 33.08 in
Post-Modern Italian Sofa in Wood and Creme Colored Velvet Upholstery
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Sofa, beech, fabric, Italy, 1970s This three-seat sofa dates from Italy in the 1970s and is designed in the style of Afra and Tobia Scarpa. The design is defined by clear proportion...
Fabric, Beech
$10,800
H 32 in W 92 in D 30 in
Amorphous Post Modern Serpentine Sofa in Terra Cotta Velvet for Weiman
By Weiman
Located in Saint Louis, MO
There's not a single straight line in this sexy Post Modern Serpentine Sofa upholstered in a rich terracotta velvet and made by Weiman. The...
Upholstery, Velvet, Lucite
$1,432
H 35.44 in W 25.99 in D 25.99 in
Postmodern Spring Office Chair by Massimo Scolari for Giorgetti, c.1990
By Massimo Scolari, Giorgetti S.p.A.
Located in Surbiton, GB
A Postmodern Spring swivel chair designed by Italian architect Massimo Scolari for Giorgetti, circa 1990. Featuring a sprung cantilever back, leather upholstered seat and a five star...
Leather, Wood
$2,000
H 34.5 in W 26 in D 24 in
"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
$2,400Sale Price|20% Off
H 37 in W 71 in D 37 in
Post modern Italian black leather loveseat sofa style of Nicoletti Salotti
By Nicoletti Salotti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Vintage Italian black leather loveseat two-seater 6 foot long sofa in the manner of Nicoletti Salotti. Very clean sofa high quality leather and very comfortable modern design. Locate...
Leather
Post Modern 6 Piece Modular Sofa
By Rolf Benz
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Great 6 piece Post Modern modular sectional sofa attributed to Rolf Benz. A gorgeous sofa that will make a massive statement. Sofa is being sold as found, reupholstery is needed b...
Fabric
1980s Post Modern Italian Leather Sofa
By Chateau d'Ax
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Lovely Italian Post Modern Leather sofa. Literally looks like it was never sat on. Off white color. Perfect condition.
Leather
Blue Leather Aladino Sofa by Massimo Scolari for Giorgetti
By Massimo Scolari, Giorgetti S.p.A.
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