Afra and Tobia Scarpa helped shape Italian modernist furniture through their attention to craftsmanship, proportion and materials. Trained as architects in Venice, they began collaborating in the 1960s and often made visible joinery and structural details part of the design.

The pair worked with leading Italian furniture brands including Cassina, B&B Italia and Maxalto. Their Soriana sofa for Cassina remains one of their most recognisable designs, with a visible metal frame that gathers the generous upholstery into its sculptural form.