Karakter Scarpa 121 Dining Chair

Karakter Scarpa 121 Dining Chair.

Drawn from the purest of references, the 121 chair began with the idea of putting a cube and a petal together and playing up their contrasting characteristics.

“I thought the elegance of a petal could become the back of a chair. Then you would need a structure to support it and this structure became a cube to indicate the solidity of the article,” says Tobia Scarpa of the 121 chair designed in 1965 and the 925 lounge chair that followed a year later. 

The Scarpas had already done chairs with a similar typology and pure aesthetic. With the 121 and 925 they elevate the honest expression by the meticulousness craftsmanship on the saddle leather. The chairs still look simple – you can see a line from Tobia’s architect father Carlo – but the way they are made takes them to a higher level.

The Scarpa 121 dining chair is a design by Afra and Tobia Scarpa from 1965.

Colours: Ash, natural leather.
Dimensions: Measurements Height 80 cm Width47 cm Depth 54 cm Seat width 47 cm Seat depth 43 cm Seat height 45 cm.
Frame material: solid ash wood, natural or dark lacquered ash.Plastic gliders.
Covering fabric: Cassina saddle leather, natural, moka, london, nero, cognac leather

♠ Made to order.

About the designer:

Originally inspired by a sketch made by Tobia's father, Venetian architect and designer, Carlo Scarpa, the iconic 121 came to life with a distinct touch from the Scarpa's in 1965.

The design is characterized by a firm and robust wooden frame that creates a striking contrast to the lightness of the leather cov- ered seat and back. A straightforward chair with an aesthetic that can complement both classical and cutting-edge interiors.

The 121 Scarpa dining chair was designed alongside the classic 925 Scarpa lounge chair from 1966. The two chairs are a prime example of Afra and Tobia Scarpa's work and share the same double trestle structure with characteristic rounded joints. Both designs are now a part of the Karakter collection.

Tobia Scarpa (b. 1935) is an Italian architect and product designer. Scarpa started his career as a designer for Murano, but has since designed lighting and furniture for several brands and collaborated with the Italian fashion house Benetton, designing their factory buildings and store interiors with his wife Afra (1937–2011). Scarpa won the prestigious Compasso d'Oro Prize immediately after graduating from university in 1969.