Widely recognized as superstars of postmodern Italian design, husband-and-wife team Afra and Tobia Scarpa (1937–2011; b. 1935) collaboratively created chairs, sofas and other furniture that work equally well in both traditional and cutting-edge environments.
Afra Bianchin and Tobia Scarpa met as architecture students at the Università Iuav di Venezia. In a class led by architect and furniture designer Franco Albini, they created their first collaborative piece, the Pigreco armchair, later produced with Gavina. After graduating in 1957, Tobia Scarpa worked for Murano glass company Venini & Co. before the couple opened a studio in Afra’s hometown, Montebelluna, in 1960. (Tobia, the son of famed glass artist and architect Carlo Scarpa, was born in Venice.)
Ranging from architecture and interior design to furniture and clothing, the Scarpas’ practice from its beginnings in the mid-1950s to the 21st century has included a diverse scope of projects combining new technology with thoughtful function and sculptural yet simple forms.
For Afra and Tobia, a close collaborative process was pivotal to the success of their designs. The duo was also prolific — they designed for the most influential European manufacturers, including B&B Italia, Cassina, Knoll and FLOS. With respect to the latter, Afra and Tobia were among the legendary Italian lighting maker’s earliest collaborators, and their pioneering designs for the brand included the Papillon lamp, one of the first fixtures to use halogen technology. Their most recognized designs include the Bastiano sofa (1962), the Vanessa bed (1959), the Coronado sofa (1966) and the Soriana seating collection (1970). Work on the Soriana sofa began in late 1969 for an early 1970 debut, and it feels as radical today as it did in its heyday.
Architecture was also a central part of Afra and Tobia’s practice, which spanned residential buildings and factories for Italian companies such as Benetton. Their commissions for the global fashion brand included numerous industrial projects, from textile plants to storefronts. By 1985, Afra and Tobia Scarpa’s work was celebrated in a 30-year retrospective at Center Four in Queens, New York. Looking around the 30,000-square-foot exhibition space, Afra joked to the New York Times, “Seeing all those things makes us feel very tired, and now we feel that maybe we worked too much.”
It was not too much for their legacy, as Afra and Tobia Scarpa’s work continues to inspire new generations. Scarpa designs are in collections at the Louvre, the Museum of Modern Art and the Victoria and Albert Museum. The couple was awarded the Compasso d’Oro in 1970 for the Soriana armchair.
Find vintage Tobia Scarpa table lamps, sofas, dining chairs and other furniture today on 1stDibs.
1970s Pair of Pigreco Dining Arm Chairs by Tobia Scarpa for Gavina/ Knoll
By Tobia Scarpa, Gavina
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a Pair of Pigreco Armchairs, initially designed by Italian Architect Tobia Scarpa in 1959. The chair was the first product that Tobia ever designed, and it was his graduation...
Steel
$1,114Sale Price / set|20% Off
Coppia di Poltrone 'Coronado' di Tobia Scarpa per B&B Italia anni 70
By B&B Italia, Tobia Scarpa
Located in Milano, IT
Coppia di Poltrone modello 'Coronado' disegnata da Tobia Scarpa negli anni '70, prodotta da B&B Italia, rappresenta un'icona di vintage design italiano. Realizzata con imbottitura in...
Leather
Tobia Scarpa Soriana Yellow Three-Seater Sofa by Cassina, Italy
By Cassina, Tobia Scarpa
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Soriana three-seat sofa, designed by Tobia Scarpa in 1969 and produced by Cassina in Italy. A true design icon, the Soriana is distinguished by its inviting, ample profile and its e...
Metal
Vintage Boho Tobia Scarpa for B&b Italian Leather “Coronado” Loveseat
By Tobia Scarpa, B&B Italia
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Indulge in the iconic comfort and sculptural elegance of this vintage "Coronado" loveseat, a masterpiece designed by Tobia Scarpa for the esteemed B&B Italia. This exquisite piece, a...
Leather, Upholstery, Wood
Customizable Tacchini Dialogo Armchair by Tobia Scarpa
By Tobia Scarpa, Tacchini
Located in New York, NY
PRICE LISTED FOR STARTING leather and walnut stained A rectangular frame with rounded edges, masterful joints, and strictly visible dowels and screws reinforces the typical double ...
Textile, Leather, Walnut
Limited Edition Soriana Denim Armchair by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina
By Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Soriana Limited Edition Denim Armchair by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina. A design armchair with soft, generous contours, designed by Afra and Tobia...
Metal
Mid-Century Modern Two-Seat "Coronado" Sofa by Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia 1960s
By Tobia Scarpa
Located in Almelo, NL
Mid-Century Modern Two-Seat "Coronado" Sofa by Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia in Teddy Upholstery, Italy, 1960s An iconic design by acclaimed Italian architect and designer Tobia Scarp...
Metal
Tobia Scarpa Sofa Model Bastiano Produced by Haimi in Finland
By Tobia Scarpa
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Sofa model Bastiano designed by Tobia Scarpa. Produced by Haimi in Finland.
Leather, Wood, Lacquer
New and Made to Order Tacchini Basilan Rattan Chair by Tobia Scarpa
By Tobia Scarpa, Tacchini
Located in New York, NY
Design and artisanal tradition converge in the Basilan chair, reflecting a contemporary way of living with furniture and a deep sensitivity to authenticity and natural materials that...
Rattan
Customizable Tacchini Glossy Lacquer Dialogo Armchair by Tobia Scarpa
By Tacchini, Tobia Scarpa
Located in New York, NY
PRICE LISTED FOR STARTING FABRIC and glossy lacquer A rectangular frame with rounded edges, masterful joints, and strictly visible dowels and screws reinforces the typical double tr...
Leather, Textile, Walnut
$1,367Sale Price / item|30% Off
Molteni & C MHC.3 MISS Dining Chair by Tobia Scarpa
By Molteni & C, Tobia Scarpa
Located in Boston, MA
Designed by Tobia Scarpa Miss chair, designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa in 1986. The form is linked to a system of soft, unbroken, linear rhythms. The legs are slim and divaricated, ...
Leather, Oak
Italian 20th Century Beige "Soriana" Leather Sofa By Tobia Scarpa For Cassina
By Cassina, Tobia Scarpa
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
A beautiful “Soriana“ leather sofa by Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, made in Italy around the latter part of the 20th century. Finished in a very rare cognac colour leather, it is lovely ...
Metal
Set of Six Dining Chairs by Tobia Scarpa, Italy, 1970s – Original Upholstery
By Tobia Scarpa
Located in Almelo, NL
Set of Six Dining Chairs by Tobia Scarpa, Italy, 1970s – Original Upholstery This exceptional set of six dining chairs was designed by renowned Italian architect and designer Tobia ...
Fabric, Beech
Tacchini Sempronia Chair by Tobia Scarpa in STOCK
By Tobia Scarpa
Located in New York, NY
SEMPRONIA CHAIR 50x53 CAT. V - VITE 03 MATT BLACK NICKEL RINGS T148 WITH INTERLINER CAL117 Circular elements fit together in a double circle that evoke...
Fabric
Customizable Tacchini Sempronia Chair by Tobia Scarpa
By Tobia Scarpa, Tacchini
Located in New York, NY
Circular elements fit together in a double circle that evokes the signature of the great master who designed it. Twin legs, created by the intersection of two cylinders, extend up to...
Textile