Tobia Scarpa

Tobia Scarpa is a key figure in 20th-century Italian design, whose work ranges from architecture to industrial design, graphic design, restoration, and teaching. Born in Venice in 1935, he trained at the IUAV and began his career designing lamps, furniture, and glass objects, inspired by the rationalist principles of Le Corbusier. Together with his wife Afra, he designed projects for firms such as Molteni&C and Unifor, developing a sober, rigorous, and timeless style. His pieces, some of them iconic, are part of the permanent collections of major international museums.

With a career that combines technical precision, formal elegance, and a profound sensitivity for his craft, Scarpa has left a lasting mark on both contemporary design and architecture. His transversal approach allowed him to approach everything from residential to exhibition installations, always with meticulous attention to detail and an integrative vision. Recognized with the Compasso d'Oro for lifetime achievement in 2008, his legacy continues to inspire for its material honesty and its ability to balance beauty, functionality, and cultural context.