Tobia Scarpa

Tobia Scarpa

Italian furniture designer and architect Tobia Scarpa’s work invites attention to the things that make an object worth living with: the character of a material, the assurance of its construction, and the way it accommodates the body. Across furniture, lighting, glass, and architecture, his work brings an exacting eye to the everyday, finding expressive possibilities in practical decisions.

Born in Venice in 1935, Scarpa grew up with architecture close at hand through his father, Carlo Scarpa. His own contribution to Italian design would take shape through a defining creative partnership with Afra Bianchin, whom he met while studying architecture in Venice. Opening their studio in 1960, Afra and Tobia Scarpa developed a practice in which a domestic furnishing and an entire building could be approached with the same depth of consideration. Their shared work combined technical investigation with a sensitivity to how people inhabit spaces.

That connection between invention and everyday experience remains central to Scarpa’s appeal. His designs have substance without sacrificing ease, bringing architectural discipline into intimate contact with domestic life. Originally designed with Afra in 1974, the Elogio Sofa and modular seating system have returned through a collaboration with global design house GUBI. This reintroduction offers a glimpse into an enduring sensibility—a small part of a career that has helped expand the possibilities of Italian design on an international scale for more than six decades.

Italian Architect & Designer

Tobia Scarpa

Italian furniture designer and architect Tobia Scarpa’s work invites attention to the things that make an object worth living with: the character of a material, the assurance of its construction, and the way it accommodates the body. Across furniture, lighting, glass, and architecture, his work brings an exacting eye to the everyday, finding expressive possibilities in practical decisions.

Born in Venice in 1935, Scarpa grew up with architecture close at hand through his father, Carlo Scarpa. His own contribution to Italian design would take shape through a defining creative partnership with Afra Bianchin, whom he met while studying architecture in Venice. Opening their studio in 1960, Afra and Tobia Scarpa developed a practice in which a domestic furnishing and an entire building could be approached with the same depth of consideration. Their shared work combined technical investigation with a sensitivity to how people inhabit spaces.

That connection between invention and everyday experience remains central to Scarpa’s appeal. His designs have substance without sacrificing ease, bringing architectural discipline into intimate contact with domestic life. Originally designed with Afra in 1974, the Elogio Sofa and modular seating system have returned through a collaboration with global design house GUBI. This reintroduction offers a glimpse into an enduring sensibility—a small part of a career that has helped expand the possibilities of Italian design on an international scale for more than six decades.