Carlo Scarpa

Famed Italian architect Carlo Scarpa, best known for his subtle use of materials and light, was also a glass and furniture designer. Bringing together his love of materials and attention to detail, Scarpa’s furniture designs are elegantly subtle and share the same characteristics as his architecture in both language and style. Pieces such as Doge table (1969) demonstrate Scarpa’s treatment of furniture almost as a building; made from a drawn metal frame, the piece is held together with visible burnished screws and decorative brass inserts, with brushed satin surfaces lacquered over with protective transparent gloss. As with many of his works, Scarpa evokes a floating sensation gently positioning a glass table-top above the frame. Departing from the limits of Rationalism, Scarpa’s designs chose to highlight inner depth, phenomenology, and nostalgia.