Giustini / Stagetti

Tobia Scarpa was born in Venice on January 1, 1935.

He graduated in Architecture from the IUAV University of Venice in 1957. That same year, Tobia Scarpa began collaborating with the historic Venini glassworks, just as his father Carlo had done. He succeeded Massimo Vignelli, who had left for the United States, and worked with the company until 1962, continuing even after Paolo Venini’s death in 1959. Among his projects, the Occhi series stands out, in which geometric murrine, with a transparent core and colored border, compose a refined visual grid that reinterprets motifs previously explored by his father.

Although he began in the world of glass, Tobia Scarpa achieved international acclaim primarily as a designer and architect. Together with his wife Afra Bianchin, whom he met during university and who was his creative partner for over fifty years, he opened a design studio in Montebelluna, her hometown. From there began a long period of collaborations with some of the most prestigious Italian and international companies, including Gavina, Cassina, Meritalia, Flos, B&B Italia, C&B, Molteni&C, Unifor, and Knoll.

In parallel, Tobia Scarpa dedicated himself to architecture, designing villas, public buildings, industrial plants, and numerous international stores for the Benetton group.

Starting in the 2000s, he became a lecturer at IUAV University in Venice, teaching in the Department of Design. In 2008, he received the Compasso d’Oro for lifetime achievement, an award that celebrates the excellence and coherence of an entire design career.