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.
Mid Century White Wool "Soriana" Armchairs by Tobia Scarpa Edited by Cassina
By Tobia Scarpa
Located in Ibiza, Spain
Pair of "Soriana" armchairs designed by Tobia Scarpa and edited by Cassina. Structure in chromed steel and upholstered in bouclé fabric, Italy, 1960s. Afra (1937-2011) and Tobia (193...
Steel
Pair of Coronado Arm Chairs Black Leather by Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia, 1976
By Tobia Scarpa, B&B Italia
Located in Dronten, NL
A pair of Coronado lounge chairs, designed by Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia and made in 1976, an icon of Italian modern design. The chairs are upholstered in black leather, showcasing ...
Leather, Beech
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
Dialogo - Chair with leather seat by Tobia Scarpa for Tacchini
By Tobia Scarpa, Tacchini
Located in Varedo, MB
Dialogue (Chair with Armrests) Design by Tobia Scarpa The Dialogo, a chair with armrests, is a masterpiece by Tobia Scarpa, celebrated on the occasion of its 50th anniversary with t...
Leather, Wood
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
Coronado Living Room Set in Black Leather by Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia, 1976
By B&B Italia, Tobia Scarpa
Located in Dronten, NL
A rare and highly sought-after Coronado living room set, designed by Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia and made in 1976, an icon of Italian modern design. This matching suite comprises: On...
Leather, Beech
Limited Edition Soriana Denim Armchair by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina
By Cassina, Tobia Scarpa
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
Set of 8 Red Leather "121" Chairs by Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, Italy, 1967
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Tobia Scarpa
Located in Argelato, BO
Set of 8 Red Leather "121" Chairs by Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, Italy, 1967 The chair, which has now become an icon of Italian style, features Scarpa's typical double trestle structu...
Leather, Wood
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
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 with leather 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
Sofa Soriana by Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, Modern Italian Design
By Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Soriana three-seat sofa, designed by Tobia Scarpa in 1969 and manufactured by Cassina in Italy. An iconic and sculptural seating piece, the Soriana embodies a refined vision of comf...
Metal
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
Tobia Scarpa Coronado Sofa in Cognac Leather, B&B Italia, Vintage 1975
By Tobia Scarpa, B&B Italia
Located in New York, NY
'Coronado' two seat sofa in beautiful cognac leather, designed by Tobia Scarpa and manufactured by the Italian firm, B&B Italia, circa 1975. The seating are made with a then revolutionary kind of molded polyurethane foam for excellent support and comfort. The 'Coronado', was the first ever seating to be built using this new technique: the foam molds were assembled around an iron frame, resulting in a sturdy yet extremely comfortable product. The present two seater sofa offered in its original cognac leather upholstery preserved in excellent condition. Labels affixed on both pieces read 'Coronado' designed by Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia. Afra and Tobia Scarpa designs were characterized by simplicity and elegance, accompanied with modern and refined aesthetics. During the 1960's, the couple designed the Bastiano sofa and the Vanessa bed for Gavina and the Soriana armchair and Poltroncina 925 for Cassina, now exhibited in the permanent collection of the MoMA. Among their most famous projects is the ‘Coronado’ sofa, made for B&B Italia in 1966 and recognized as one of the first polyurethane models. Other notable collaborations during this decade included designs with Maxalto, Molteni, Meritalia (the Libertà...
Leather
Tobia Scarpa – Pair of Basilian Sofas for B&B Maxalto, Compagnia delle Filippine
By B&B Italia, Tobia Scarpa
Located in Milano, IT
Tobia Scarpa – Pair of Basilian Sofas for B&B Maxalto, Compagnia delle Filippine, 1970s Designed by Tobia Scarpa for B&B Maxalto – Compagnia delle Filippine, the Basilian sofas are ...
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
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
Tacchini Sempronia Chair by Tobia Scarpa in STOCK
By Tobia Scarpa
Located in New York, NY
SEMPRONIA CHAIR 50x53 CAT. V - VITE 08 BRONZE RINGS T117 WITH INTERLINER CAL117 Circular elements fit together in a double circle that evokes the signa...
Fabric
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
Bastiano sofa in canvas designed by Tobia Scarpa for Gavina 1960
By Tobia Scarpa, Gavina
Located in Ozzano Dell'emilia, IT
Bastiano 2 seater sofa by Tobia Scarpa with original upholstery in canvas. Supporting structure in wood, flying cushions with polyurethane bottom and top in feather on covered steel...
Canvas, Wood
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
$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