Afra and Tobia Scarpa facts for kids

Tobia Scarpa
Scarpa in 2015
Born	January 1, 1935 (1935-01) (age 90) Venice, Italy
Nationality	Italian
Occupation	Designer

Afra and Tobia Scarpa were a famous Italian husband-and-wife team. They were architects and designers who won many awards. Their amazing designs can be seen in museums all over the United States and Europe. This includes famous places like the MoMA in New York and the Louvre Museum in Paris.

They worked with big companies like B&B Italia and Knoll International. They won important awards, such as the Compasso d'Oro in 1969. Their work included designing buildings, furniture, clothes, and even glass art. They loved exploring new ways to use materials in their designs. Tobia's father, Carlo Scarpa, who was also a well-known architect, greatly influenced them.

About Their Lives and Work

Afra Bianchin was born in Montebelluna, Italy, in 1937. Tobia Scarpa was born in Venice, Italy, in 1935. Both Afra and Tobia studied architecture at the Università Iuav di Venezia. They both graduated in 1957.

From 1957 to 1961, Tobia designed glass at a factory called Venini. Then, in 1960, Afra and Tobia opened their own design office. They created designs for many companies. Some of their most famous pieces include the "Bastiano" sofa for Gavina in 1961. They also designed the "Coronado" sofa for B&B Italia in 1966. Another well-known piece is the "Soriana" armchair for Cassina S.p.A. in 1968.

In 1964, they started working with the Benetton Group, a clothing company. They designed Benetton's first textile factory. Afra and Tobia Scarpa also designed the inside of Benetton's offices in Paris, Freiburg, and New York City.

In 1973, they designed the "Papillion" lamp for Flos. This was one of the first lamps to use new halogen light technology. Later in their careers, they also worked for other lighting companies. Their designs always used new technologies. But they also kept a classic look and were very useful.

Afra and Tobia Scarpa received the Compasso d'Oro award in 1969. They also won the International Forum Design award in 1992. Their furniture designs were even featured in magazines like L'ŒIL. From 2004 to 2007, they worked on restoring old buildings. One big project was the Palazzo della Ragione in Verona, Italy.

Since 2002, Tobia has taught design at the Università Iuav di Venezia. Tobia Scarpa believed that design should not have strict rules. His timeless creations, like the Fantasma and Foglio lamps, show his unique ideas and amazing skill.

Their Work with Benetton

Afra and Tobia Scarpa started working with Benetton in 1964. They designed the company's first factory. After that, they were in charge of all the industrial buildings for Benetton. Here are some of their projects for Benetton:

• Designing Benetton shops in 1966.
• Restoring the Villa Minelli in 1972.
• Designing a jeans factory in Cusignana in 1973.
• Creating a modern distribution center in Castrette in 1980.
• Designing Benetton offices in Paris and Freiburg in 1980.
• Building a wool factory in Castrette in 1985.
• Designing the Benetton office in New York in 1986.
• Rebuilding the first factory at Ponzano Veneto in 1987.
• Restoring the Villa Minelli and its area in Ponzano in 1989.
• Designing a clothing factory in Castrette di Villorba in 1993 (and making it bigger in 1995).

Their Work with Molteni

Afra and Tobia Scarpa began working with Molteni in 1973. They designed the "Monk" dining chair. Over two decades, they designed many pieces of furniture for this Italian brand. Not all of these pieces are still made today. But each one is an important part of Italian design history.

Some of the furniture they designed for Molteni includes:

• Monk chair, 1973
• Morna bed, 1973
• Mop bookcase, 1974
• Mastro chair, 1980
• Meo chair, 1980
• Miss chair, 1986

Awards They Won

Afra and Tobia Scarpa received many awards for their designs:

• The Compasso d'Oro award in 1970.
• Special recognition for the same prize in 1979.
• The Nerocon Merit Award in 1982.
• The Primer Premio Nacional de Diseño Otorgado in 1978.
• The Auszeichnung für hohe Designqualität in 1992.
• The International Forum Design Hanover award in 1992.
• Tobia Scarpa won the career Compasso d'Oro award in 2008.

Museums Featuring Their Work

Many museums around the world have shown the designs of Afra and Tobia Scarpa:

• Museum of Modern Art in New York
• National Museum of Design, New York
• Philadelphia Museum of Art
• Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
• La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art
• Musée du Louvre, Paris
• Staats Museum, Munich
• Österreichisches Museum für Angewandte Kunst Wein, Vienna
• Victoria and Albert Museum, London
• Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark
• Kunstindustrimuseet, Copenhagen
• Galleri Jerome, Copenhagen
• Galleri Asbaek, Copenhagen
• Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg
• Staatliches Museum für Angewandte Kunst, Munich
• Design-Zentrum, Essen
• Museum für Angewandte Kunst (Cologne)
• Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

Some of Their Clients

Afra and Tobia Scarpa worked with many different companies:

• Gavina (sofa "Bastiano" 1961)
• B & B Italia (sofa "Coronado" 1966)
• Cassina S.p.A. (armchair "Soriana" 1968)
• Meritalia (chair "Libert" 1989)
• Flos (lamps "Papillona 1977 and "Pierrot" 1990)
• Casas (chair "Veronica" 1991)
• Fabbian (lamps "Saturnina" 1998 and "Galeto" 2001)
• Veas (metal lamp "Scandola")
• Cadel
• Dimensione Fuoco
• Molteni
• Poggi
• San Lorenzo
• Knoll International
• Goppion
• IB Office
• Maxalto
• Stildomus
• Unifor