black leather 3-seat "Bastiano" sofa, Gavina

Afra Scarpa (1937–2011) and Tobia Scarpa (born 1935) met while studying architecture at the IUAV University of Venice. Together they became one of the defining design partnerships of postwar Italy, creating furniture for Gavina, Cassina, B&B Italia, Molteni, Flos, and Knoll.  Their "Bastiano" series was designed in 1962 for Gavina SpA (later acquired by Knoll) and is one of the dozen or so truly foundational lounge chair designs of postwar Italy. It has become so familiar that people forget how radical it was when introduced - with a visible rigid wooden (walnut) exoskeleton and generous loose leather cushions - where structure and comfort are completely independent.  Bologna Italy.