Carlo Scarpa
Carlo Scarpa (1906-1978) was one of the most prominent Italian modernist architects and designers, known as a virtuoso of light and a connoisseur of materials.
Scarpa's aesthetic language holds the middle ground between Japanese minimalism and the organic forms of nature. He became known early on for his sensitivity to materiality and detailing, a sensitivity that runs through his architecture and his design work alike.
Biography
Born in Venice in 1906, Scarpa attended the Academy of Fine Arts, where he concentrated on architectural studies. After graduating he collaborated with the architect Francesco Rinaldo and began teaching architectural drawing at the Academy, a position he held until 1929. His own practice as an architect and designer took off in the same period.
International recognition came after the Second World War, along with the commissions that produced his major works. His work absorbed the influence of architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright and took inspiration from Japan. He died in 1978 after a fall from a flight of concrete stairs.
Models and collaborations
From 1927 Scarpa collaborated with master glass workers in Murano, and between 1934 and 1947 he was creative director at the Venini glass works.