Tobia Scarpa, André Low Coffee Table, Gavina, Italy, 1970s

About the Item

Tobia Scarpa, André Low Coffee Table, Gavina, Italy, 1970s Low coffee table “André” designed by Tobia Scarpa for Gavina in the 1970s, Italy. A refined example of Italian modernist design combining architectural structure with material clarity. Designed by Tobia Scarpa, the table features a chrome or steel frame with a geometric grid support system beneath a glass top. The visible structural construction is a key design element, expressing Scarpa’s rational and architectural approach to furniture design. Produced by Gavina, one of the most important Italian design manufacturers of the postwar period, the André table is part of a highly regarded series that reflects the evolution of industrial modernism in Italy during the 1970s. A timeless and sculptural coffee table, suitable for both residential and architectural interiors, with strong collectible value in mid-century and postmodern design contexts.

Creator:
Gavina (Manufacturer),Tobia Scarpa (Designer)
Dimensions:
Height: 14.97 in (38 cm)Width: 44.89 in (114 cm)Depth: 44.89 in (114 cm)
Style:
Modern (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Glass,Steel
Place of Origin:
Italy
Period:
Mid-20th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1970
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Krefeld, DE
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU10756250654932

Shop All Tobia Scarpa

Tobia Scarpa

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.

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