Carlo Scarpa

Scarpa was born in Venice on 2 June 1906. Much of his early childhood was spent in Vicenza, where his family relocated when he was two years old. After his mother's death when he was 13, he moved with his father and brother back to Venice. Carlo attended the Academy of Fine Arts where he focused on architectural studies.{{cite book|title=Design of the 20th Century|first1=Charlotte|last1=Fiell|first2=Peter|last2=Fiell|publisher=Taschen|location=Köln|edition=25th anniversary|year=2005|page=633|isbn=9783822840788|oclc=809539744}} After he graduated from the academy with the title of Professor of Architecture, he apprenticed with the architect Francesco Rinaldo. Scarpa married Rinaldo's niece, Nini Lazzari (Onorina Lazzari).

However, Scarpa refused to sit the pro forma professional exam administered by the Italian government after World War II. As a consequence, he was not permitted to practice architecture without associating with an architect. Hence, those who worked with him (clients, associates, craftspersons, etc.) called him "Professor", rather than "architect".

File:Scala sfalsata - carlo scarpa in castelvecchio.jpg stairs by Scarpa]]

Scarpa's architecture is deeply sensitive to the passage of time, from seasons to history, rooted in a sensuous material imagination. He was Mario Botta's thesis adviser along with Giuseppe Mazzariol; the latter was the director of the Fondazione Querini Stampalia when Scarpa completed his renovation and garden for that institution. Scarpa taught drawing and interior decoration at the Istituto universitario di architettura di Venezia from the late 1940s until his death. While most of his built work is located in the Veneto region, he designed landscapes, gardens, and buildings for other regions of Italy as well as Canada, the United States, Saudi Arabia, France, and Switzerland. His name has 11 letters and this is used repeatedly in his architecture.{{cite journal|author=Frascari, Marco |title=Architectural Traces of an Admirable Cipher: Eleven in the Opus of Carlo Scarpa|journal=Nexus Network Journal|date=June 1999|volume =1|issue =1–2|pages=7–22|doi=10.1007/s00004-998-0002-4 |doi-access=free}}

One of his last projects, the Villa Palazzetto in Monselice, left incomplete at the time of his death, was altered in October 2006 by his son Tobia. This work is one of Scarpa's most ambitious landscape and garden projects, the Brion Sanctuary notwithstanding. It was executed for Aldo Businaro, the representative for Cassina who was responsible for Scarpa's first trip to Japan. Businaro died in August 2006, a few months before the completion of the new stairs at the Villa Palazzetto, built to commemorate Scarpa's centenary.

In 1978, while in Sendai, Japan, Scarpa fell down a flight of concrete stairs. He died of his injuries after ten days in hospital. He is buried standing up and wrapped in linen sheets in the style of a medieval knight, in an isolated exterior corner of his L-shaped Brion tomb at San Vito d'Altivole in Veneto.

In 1984, the Italian composer Luigi Nono dedicated to Scarpa a composition for orchestra in micro-intervals, A Carlo Scarpa, Architetto, Ai suoi infiniti possibili.{{cite web |title=A Carlo Scarpa, architetto, ai suoi infiniti possibili |url=http://www.luiginono.it/en/works/a-carlo-scarpa-architetto-ai-suoi-infiniti-possibili/ |website=Archivio Luigi Nono (Luigi Nono Archive) |accessdate=3 April 2020}}

File:Paolo Monti - Servizio fotografico (Verona, 1982) - BEIC 6337280.jpg in Verona. Photo by Paolo Monti, 1982 (Fondo Paolo Monti, BEIC).]]

Scarpa was a designer as well as an architect. At the beginning of his career, he collaborated with glassmakers in Murano. He designed jars and chandeliers for MVM Cappellin & Co. and Venini. His designs for Venini have sold for high prices at auction, including a 1940 vase that sold at Christie's in 2012 for around $309,000, and another vase, found in a thrift store, which sold in 2023 for $107,100.{{Cite web |last=Boucher |first=Brian |date=2023-12-13 |title=A Carlo Scarpa Vase Found in a Thrift Store Makes $107,000 at Auction |url=https://news.artnet.com/market/carlo-scarpa-vase-goodwill-auction-2407129 |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=Artnet News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2023-12-14 |title=$4 thrift-store vase sells for $107,100 at auction |url=https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2023/12/14/thrift-store-vase-sells-at-auction |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=The Art Newspaper – International art news and events}}

Furthermore, Scarpa joined the industrial design world in the 1960s after meeting Dino Gavina. Scarpa became the president of the eponymous company Gavina.

In 1968, after the founding of Studio Simon, Scarpa started to design industrial furniture.

He designed pieces for Simon and Bernini.{{Cite web |title=Carlo Scarpa, Sandro Bagnoli |url=https://en.silvanaeditoriale.it/libro/9788836628162 |access-date=2024-01-05 |website=en.silvanaeditoriale.it |language=en}} The Doge table (1968) and the Cornaro sofa (1973) are the most famous.{{Cite web|date=2022-01-18|title=Carlo Scarpa, When Design Comes from Creativity|url=https://www.italiandesignclub.com/2022/01/18/carlo-scarpa-when-design-comes-from-creativity/|access-date=2022-02-14|website=Italian Design Club|language=en-US}}

• Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice, ItalyScarpa carried out "sensitive restoration work" on the building.{{cite web| url = http://www.understandingitaly.com/people/scarpa.html

| title = Carlo Scarpa, Architect| accessdate = January 17, 2017| publisher = understandingitaly.com}}

• Padiglione del libro d'arte, Giardini di Castello, La Biennale, Venice, 1950–1952 {{cite web|last1=Museo Nazionale della Arti Dell XXI Secolo|title=Collezioni XX secolo torna indietro Padiglione del libro d'arte, Giardini di Castello|url=http://maxxisearch.fondazionemaxxi.it/maxxi/collezionixx/XX/scheda/IT-MAXXI-AR0001-0001839|website=MAXXI|date=1950|access-date=27 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150928152431/http://maxxisearch.fondazionemaxxi.it/maxxi/collezionixx/XX/scheda/IT-MAXXI-AR0001-0001839|archive-date=28 September 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}
• Palazzo Abatellis: La Galleria Di Sicilia, Palermo, 1953–1954 {{cite web|last1=Polano|first1=Sergio|title=Carlo Scarpa: Palazzo Abatellis : La Galleria della Sicilia, Palermo 1953–54|url=http://www.electaweb.it/catalogo/scheda/978884355733/en?language=en_EN|publisher=Milan : Mondadori Electa|date=1989}}
• Palazzo Ca'Foscari, Venice, Italy, 1935–1956
• Venezuelan Pavilion, La Biennale, Venice, Italy, 1954–1956{{cite web|last1=Scarpa|first1=Carlo|title=Venezuelan Pavilion (1954–56), Venice Architecture Biennale 2014|url=http://www.labiennale.org/en/architecture/index.html|website=La Biennale|access-date=27 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921060223/http://www.labiennale.org/en/architecture/index.html|archive-date=21 September 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}
• Veritti House, Udine, Italy, 1955–1961 {{cite web |last1=Olsberg |first1=Nicholas |last2=Ranalli |first2=George |last3=Bedard|first3=Jean-Francios|last4=Polano|first4=Sergio|last5=Di Lieto|first5=Alba|last6=Friedman|first6=Mildred|title=Carlo Scarpa, architect : Intervening With History|url=http://primo.getty.edu/primo_library/libweb/action/dlDisplay.do?vid=GRI&afterPDS=true&institution=01GRI&docId=GETTY_ALMA21136913130001551|website=Getty Search Gateway|publisher=Montreal, Quebec, Canada : Canadian Centre For Architecture New York : Monacelli Press|date=1999}}
• Museo Canova di Possagno, Italy, 1955–1957 {{cite web|title=L'ampliamento di Scarpa al Museo di Possagno|url=http://www.museocanova.it/index.php?lang=en|website=Museo Canova| date=18 November 2023 }}
• Museo di Castelvecchio, Verona, Italy, 1956–1964 {{cite web|last1=Murphy|first1=Richard|title=Carlo Scarpa and the Castelvecchio|url=http://primo.getty.edu/primo_library/libweb/action/dlDisplay.do?vid=GRI&afterPDS=true&institution=01GRI&docId=GETTY_ALMA21131832910001551|publisher=London; Boston : Butterworth Architecture, 1990.|date=1990}}
• Negozio Olivetti, piazza S. Marco, Venezia, Italy, 1957–1958 {{cite web|last1=Camerlengo|first1=Lia|title=Negozio Olivetti, Procuratie vecchie, piazza S. Marco, Venezia, 1957 – 1958|url=http://primo.getty.edu/primo_library/libweb/action/dlDisplay.do?vid=GRI&afterPDS=true&institution=01GRI&docId=GETTY_ALMA21137312200001551|website=Getty Search Gateway|publisher=Milano : Electa|page=120|date=1984}}
• Fondazione Querini Stampalia, Venice, 1961–1963 {{cite web|title=Carlo Scarpa|url=http://www.querinistampalia.org/eng/contemporary/architecture/carlo_scarpa.php|website=Fondazione Querini Stampalia|access-date=27 September 2015|archive-date=1 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220101063114/http://www.querinistampalia.org/eng/contemporary/architecture/carlo_scarpa.php|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|last1=Murphy|first1=Richard|title=Querini Stampalia Foundation : Carlo Scarpa|url=http://primo.getty.edu/primo_library/libweb/action/dlDisplay.do?vid=GRI&afterPDS=true&institution=01GRI&docId=GETTY_ALMA21120910580001551|website=Getty Search Gateway|publisher=London : Phaidon|date=1993}}
• Brion Tomb and Sanctuary, at San Vito d'Altivole, Italy, 1969–1978 {{cite web|last1=Duboy|first1=Phillipe|last2=Noever|first2=Peter|last3=Noever|first3=Peter|title=Carlo Scarpa : the other city : the architect's working method as shown by the Brion cemetery in San Vito d'Altivole|url=http://primo.getty.edu/primo_library/libweb/action/dlDisplay.do?vid=GRI&afterPDS=true&institution=01GRI&docId=GETTY_ALMA21123142520001551|website=Getty Search Gateway|publisher=Berlin : Ernst & Sohn|date=1989}}
• Banca Popolare di Verona, Italy, 1973–1978 {{cite web|last1=Olsberg|first1=Nicholas|last2=Ranalli|first2=George|last3=Bedard|first3=Jean-Francios|last4=Polano|first4=Sergio|last5=di Lieta|first5=Alba|last6=Friedman|first6=Mildred|title=Carlo Scarpa, architect : intervening with history|url=http://primo.getty.edu/primo_library/libweb/action/dlDisplay.do?vid=GRI&afterPDS=true&institution=01GRI&docId=GETTY_ALMA21136913130001551|website=Getty Search Gateway|publisher=Montreal, Quebec, Canada : Canadian Centre For Architecture; New York : Monacelli Press|date=1999}}
• Restauración del Museo de Castelvecchio en Verona / Carlo Scarpa{{Cite web |date=2014-06-18 |title=Clásicos de Arquitectura: Restauración del Museo de Castelvecchio en Verona / Carlo Scarpa |url=https://www.archdaily.mx/mx/02-371108/clasicos-de-arquitectura-restauracion-del-museo-de-castelvecchio-en-verona-carlo-scarpa |access-date=2023-01-10 |website=ArchDaily México |language=es-MX}}

{{Reflist}}

• Beltramini, Guido; Zannier, Italo (2007). Carlo Scarpa: Architecture and Design. New York: Rizzoli.
• {{cite web|last1=Crippa|first1=Maria Antonietta.|editor=Loffi Randolin, Marina|title=Carlo Scarpa: Theory, Design, Projects|url=http://primo.getty.edu/primo_library/libweb/action/dlDisplay.do?vid=GRI&afterPDS=true&institution=01GRI&docId=GETTY_ALMA21134059000001551|publisher=MIT Press |location=Cambridge, Massachusetts|date=1986}}
• {{cite web|last1=Dal Co|first1=Francesco |authorlink1=Francesco Dal Co|last2=Mazzariol|first2=Giuseppe|title=Carlo Scarpa: opera completa|url=http://primo.getty.edu/primo_library/libweb/action/dlDisplay.do?vid=GRI&afterPDS=true&institution=01GRI&docId=GETTY_ALMA21137312200001551|website=Getty Search Gateway|publisher=Electa |location=Milan|date=1984 |language=it}}
• Dal Co, Francesco; Mazzariol, Giuseppe (1985). Carlo Scarpa: The Complete Works. Milan: Electa; New York: Rizzoli.
• Dal Co, Francesco (2009). To Construct, to Compose: Carlo Scarpa and the Villa Ottolenghi. Amsterdam: SUN.
• Guidi, Guido (2011). Carlo Scarpa's Tomba Brion. Ostfildern: Hatje Cantz.
• Giunta, Santo (2020). Carlo Scarpa. A [curious] shaft of light, a golden standard, the hands and a face of a woman. Reflections on the design process and layout of Palazzo Abatellis 1953–1954. Foreword by Richard Murphy; Afterword by Giampiero Bosoni, Marsilio, Venice, {{ISBN|978-88-297-0654-9}}.
• {{cite web|last1=Los|first1=Sergio |authorlink=Sergio Los|title=Carlo Scarpa, architetto poeta|url=http://primo.getty.edu/primo_library/libweb/action/dlDisplay.do?vid=GRI&afterPDS=true&institution=01GRI&docId=GETTY_ALMA21117912870001551|website=Getty Search Gateway|publisher=RIBA |location=London|date=1967 |language=it}}
• {{cite web|last1=Los|first1=Sergio|title=Carlo Scarpa : guida all'architettura|url=http://primo.getty.edu/primo_library/libweb/action/dlDisplay.do?vid=GRI&afterPDS=true&institution=01GRI&docId=GETTY_ALMA21119144960001551|publisher=Arsenale |location=Venice|date=1995|language=it}}
• {{cite book|last1=Los|first1=Sergio|title=Carlo Scarpa: 1906–1978: A Poet of Architecture|date=2009|publisher=Taschen|isbn=978-3822821121}}
• McCarter, Robert (2013). Carlo Scarpa. London: Phaidon Press. (2nd edition, 2017)
• {{cite book|last1=Olsberg| first1=Nicholas|last2=Ranalli|first2=George|last3=Polano|first3=Sergio|last4=Di Lietio|first4=Alba|last5=Freidman|first5=Mildred|last6=Bedard|first6=Jean-Francois|last7=Guidi |first7=Guido |title=Carlo Scarpa, Architect: Intervening with History|date=1999|publisher=Canadian Centre For Architecture: Monacelli Press |isbn=1580930352|page=256|edition=1st |location=New York}}
• Schultz, Anne-Catrin (2007). Carlo Scarpa: Layers. Stuttgart: Edition Axel Menges.
• {{cite book|last1=Semi|first1=Franca|title=A Lezione con Carlo Scarpa|date=2010|publisher=Cicero |location=Venice|isbn=9788889632260 |language=it}}
• Sonego, Carla (1995). Carlo Scarpa. Gli anni della formazione. Venice: IUAV, (unpublished thesis, Professor Marco De Michelis, supervisor). {{in lang|it}}

{{commons category|Carlo Scarpa}}

• [http://www.archiviocarloscarpa.it/index.php?lingua=e Digital Archive of Carlo Scarpa]
• {{archINFORM|arch|4}}

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