Mario Botta "Quinta" Chair for Alias 1980s

About the Item

Quinta, a chair with a legacy dating back to its creation in 1985, is not your ordinary seat; it embodies a fusion of comfort and architectural sophistication. Designed under the influence of architectural luminaries like Le Corbusier, Louis Kahn, and Carlo Scarpa, this iconic piece stands out with its innovative slotted steel back and seat. These design elements allow the material to flex, delivering unexpected comfort whether you're sitting or reclining. The chair's lines evoke the architectural mastery seen in Botta's design for the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art building, marking his debut project in the United States. A testament to its iconic status, one of these exceptional chairs is currently on display at the Museum of Modern Art. Quinta is not merely a chair; it's a piece of design history that you can make your own.

Creator:

Alias (Manufacturer),Mario Botta (Designer)

Dimensions:

Height: 37.01 in (94 cm)Width: 18.12 in (46 cm)Depth: 22.45 in (57 cm)Seat Height: 16.93 in (43 cm)

Style:

Mid-Century Modern (In the Style Of)

Materials and Techniques:

Metal,Stainless Steel

Place of Origin:

Italy

Period:

Mid-20th Century

Date of Manufacture:

1980

Condition:

The black metal seating surface shows minor signs of wear. Otherwise the chair is in good condition.

Seller Location:

Wien, AT

Reference Number:

1stDibs: LU7393235811842

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Shop All Mario Botta

Mario Botta

Swiss architect Mario Botta may be renowned for his impressive postmodern architecture projects such as the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, but the chairs, lighting and other furniture he created reflect a mastery of geometrically rich forms and an elegant application of simple symmetry.

Born in Mendrisio, Switzerland, in 1943, Botta gained an interest in architecture at an early age. He apprenticed at the architectural firm Carloni and Camenisch and designed his first building — a two-family house at Morbis Superiore in Ticino — at age 16. During the early 1960s, Botta attended the Liceo Artistico in Milan and then studied at the University Institute of Architecture in Venice under art historian Giuseppe Mazzariol and influential Italian architect Carlo Scarpa.

While studying in Venice, Botta worked for Swiss-born French architect Le Corbusier — whose career spanned hundreds of architecture projects — and gained inspiration from Estonian-American architect Louis Kahn, who was known for his modern and brutalist architectural style. In 1969, Botta completed his studies and established his practice in Lugano, designing and building single-family homes.

Throughout the 1970s, Botta gained fame for his innovative, geometrical designs and deceptively simple forms, such as his first large-scale building project in 1977 — the Middle School in Morbio Inferiore, Switzerland. Botta later established himself as one of the masters of 1980s postmodern design in his architecture and his furniture. His postmodern ideas characterize the dining room tables and seating he designed for companies such as Alias, as well as his table lamps and floor lamps for Artemide.

Botta’s noteworthy architectural projects designed during the 1990s and 2000s include the Cymbalista Synagogue and Jewish Heritage Center in Tel Aviv, Israel; the Monastery of the Holy Apostles Saint Peter and Andrew in Lviv, Ukraine; and the Theater of Architecture in Mendrisio, in 2018.

On 1stDibs, discover a range of vintage Mario Botta lighting fixtures, seating, tables and decorative objects.