Tobia Scarpa is one of the most significant figures in twentieth-century Italian design, known both for the scope of his individual work and for the decades-long collaboration with his wife and professional partner, Afra Bianchin Scarpa. Born in Venice on 1 January 1935, he is the son of architect and designer Carlo Scarpa — a figure whose influence on Tobia’s approach to material, construction, and form would remain a defining element throughout his career.

Education and early years

Scarpa graduated in architecture from the Università Iuav di Venezia in 1957, alongside Afra Bianchin, whom he would marry and with whom he would establish one of the most productive partnerships in Italian design. From 1957 to 1961, Tobia worked as a glass designer at the Venini glassworks in Murano, where he developed a refined understanding of material processes and the technical possibilities of glass — an experience that informed his later furniture and lighting designs.

The partnership with Afra Bianchin

In 1960, Tobia and Afra opened their own design office in Montebelluna. The studio would go on to collaborate with the most influential Italian manufacturers of the period: Cassina, B&B Italia, Gavina, Flos, Knoll International, Molteni, and later Meritalia and Maxalto. The work produced between 1960 and Afra’s death in 2011 defined an entire generation of Italian furniture and lighting.

Their approach was characterised by a focus on the technical and aesthetic possibilities of materials. New production techniques — particularly developments in polyurethane foam moulding in the 1960s — allowed them to rethink structural and formal conventions in seating. The result was a body of work that combined technological innovation with a restrained, measured formal language.

Key furniture and lighting

The first major project was the Bastiano sofa for Gavina in 1960, a low-profile design with a solid ash frame and leather upholstery. The piece was later reissued by Knoll and remains in production. In the same year, the couple designed the Pigreco chair and the Vanessa bed, both for Gavina.

For B&B Italia, they designed the Coronado sofa in 1966, one of the first pieces to use cold-moulded polyurethane foam wrapped around an iron frame. The technique — radical at the time — allowed for a soft, enveloping form without requiring traditional upholstery structures. The Coronado was followed by the Erasmo armchair for the same manufacturer.

In 1968, they designed the Soriana seating collection for Cassina. The Soriana armchair — composed of a loose polyurethane and Dacron foam mass held in place by an external chromed steel clamp — won the Compasso d’Oro in 1970. The jury recognised the piece for achieving formal complexity through construction and technical means of remarkable simplicity. Production ran from 1970 to 1980; the piece is now highly sought on the secondary market.

Other significant projects for Cassina include the 121 dining chair, the 777 side table, and the 778 extensible dining table. For Molteni, the couple designed the Monk dining chair in 1973, a solid walnut frame with fabric or leather upholstery that became one of their most enduring designs for the manufacturer.

In lighting, their collaboration with Flos began in 1960. Among their early projects was the Fantasma floor lamp (1961) and the Foglio wall lamp (1966), both in nickel-plated metal. In 1973, they designed the Papillona lamp for Flos, one of the first lighting fixtures to use halogen technology. The lamp was published widely in the trade press and is considered one of the defining products of the decade. Other lighting work includes projects for Fabbian (Saturnina and Galeto lamps) and Veas.

For Meritalia, the couple designed the Libertà chair in 1989, a piece now in the permanent collection of the Musée du Louvre in Paris.

Architecture and industrial projects

Alongside furniture and lighting, Tobia and Afra Scarpa maintained an active architectural practice. In 1964, they were commissioned by Benetton to design the company’s first textile factory in Paderno di Ponzano, Treviso. This began a long relationship with the Benetton Group: the couple went on to design the company’s industrial facilities at Castrette di Villorba — including the automated warehouse (1980) and the wool division (1986) — as well as Benetton retail interiors in Paris, New York, and Freiburg.

They also designed the B&B Italia factory in Novedrate (1966), private residences, and office buildings. Between 2004 and 2007, they collaborated on restoration projects for historical buildings, including the Palazzo della Ragione in Verona.

Recognition and legacy

Tobia Scarpa has been awarded the Compasso d’Oro (1970 for the Soriana armchair) and the IF Industrie Forum Design Hannover (1992). His work is held in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art (New York), the Musée du Louvre (Paris), and the Victoria and Albert Museum (London).

Since 2002, Tobia has taught in the Design Department of the Università Iuav di Venezia. Following Afra’s death in 2011, he has continued to work and teach.

The Scarpa studio’s production represents one of the most coherent contributions to Italian design in the second half of the twentieth century: rational in construction, sensitive to material, and consistently focused on the relationship between technological innovation and lasting form.

Tobia Scarpa is one of the most significant figures in twentieth-century Italian design, known both for the scope of his individual work and for the decades-long collaboration with his wife and professional partner, Afra Bianchin Scarpa. Born in Venice on 1 January 1935, he is the son of architect and designer Carlo Scarpa — a figure whose influence on Tobia’s approach to material, construction, and form would remain a defining element throughout his career.

Education and early years

Scarpa graduated in architecture from the Università Iuav di Venezia in 1957, alongside Afra Bianchin, whom he would marry and with whom he would establish one of the most productive partnerships in Italian design. From 1957 to 1961, Tobia worked as a glass designer at the Venini glassworks in Murano, where he developed a refined understanding of material processes and the technical possibilities of glass — an experience that informed his later furniture and lighting designs.

The partnership with Afra Bianchin

In 1960, Tobia and Afra opened their own design office in Montebelluna. The studio would go on to collaborate with the most influential Italian manufacturers of the period: Cassina, B&B Italia, Gavina, Flos, Knoll International, Molteni, and later Meritalia and Maxalto. The work produced between 1960 and Afra’s death in 2011 defined an entire generation of Italian furniture and lighting.

Their approach was characterised by a focus on the technical and aesthetic possibilities of materials. New production techniques — particularly developments in polyurethane foam moulding in the 1960s — allowed them to rethink structural and formal conventions in seating. The result was a body of work that combined technological innovation with a restrained, measured formal language.

Key furniture and lighting

The first major project was the Bastiano sofa for Gavina in 1960, a low-profile design with a solid ash frame and leather upholstery. The piece was later reissued by Knoll and remains in production. In the same year, the couple designed the Pigreco chair and the Vanessa bed, both for Gavina.

For B&B Italia, they designed the Coronado sofa in 1966, one of the first pieces to use cold-moulded polyurethane foam wrapped around an iron frame. The technique — radical at the time — allowed for a soft, enveloping form without requiring traditional upholstery structures. The Coronado was followed by the Erasmo armchair for the same manufacturer.

In 1968, they designed the Soriana seating collection for Cassina. The Soriana armchair — composed of a loose polyurethane and Dacron foam mass held in place by an external chromed steel clamp — won the Compasso d’Oro in 1970. The jury recognised the piece for achieving formal complexity through construction and technical means of remarkable simplicity. Production ran from 1970 to 1980; the piece is now highly sought on the secondary market.

Other significant projects for Cassina include the 121 dining chair, the 777 side table, and the 778 extensible dining table. For Molteni, the couple designed the Monk dining chair in 1973, a solid walnut frame with fabric or leather upholstery that became one of their most enduring designs for the manufacturer.

In lighting, their collaboration with Flos began in 1960. Among their early projects was the Fantasma floor lamp (1961) and the Foglio wall lamp (1966), both in nickel-plated metal. In 1973, they designed the Papillona lamp for Flos, one of the first lighting fixtures to use halogen technology. The lamp was published widely in the trade press and is considered one of the defining products of the decade. Other lighting work includes projects for Fabbian (Saturnina and Galeto lamps) and Veas.

For Meritalia, the couple designed the Libertà chair in 1989, a piece now in the permanent collection of the Musée du Louvre in Paris.

Architecture and industrial projects

Alongside furniture and lighting, Tobia and Afra Scarpa maintained an active architectural practice. In 1964, they were commissioned by Benetton to design the company’s first textile factory in Paderno di Ponzano, Treviso. This began a long relationship with the Benetton Group: the couple went on to design the company’s industrial facilities at Castrette di Villorba — including the automated warehouse (1980) and the wool division (1986) — as well as Benetton retail interiors in Paris, New York, and Freiburg.

They also designed the B&B Italia factory in Novedrate (1966), private residences, and office buildings. Between 2004 and 2007, they collaborated on restoration projects for historical buildings, including the Palazzo della Ragione in Verona.

Recognition and legacy

Tobia Scarpa has been awarded the Compasso d’Oro (1970 for the Soriana armchair) and the IF Industrie Forum Design Hannover (1992). His work is held in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art (New York), the Musée du Louvre (Paris), and the Victoria and Albert Museum (London).

Since 2002, Tobia has taught in the Design Department of the Università Iuav di Venezia. Following Afra’s death in 2011, he has continued to work and teach.

The Scarpa studio’s production represents one of the most coherent contributions to Italian design in the second half of the twentieth century: rational in construction, sensitive to material, and consistently focused on the relationship between technological innovation and lasting form.

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