The name Scarpa is synonymous with architecture. Many architects cite architect Carlo Scarpa, who designed the Olivetti showroom in Venice in the 1950s, as one of the 20th century’s greatest. They, along with interior designers, acknowledge with equal measure his son Tobia Scarpa and his wife Afra, who produced the iconic Soriana sofa in 1969 for Cassina – receiving the prestigious Compasso d’Oro for this a year later, in 1970.
This curvaceous lounge, which was also produced as a chair, is described by many as ‘a masterpiece of complexity’. Constructed from polyurethane foam without any internal support or structure, this sumptuous two or three seater lounge is held together with a few strategically placed metal structures. The story goes that the inspiration came from simply holding a number of fabric swatches in their hands and contemplating ideas on how to secure them together. Although the design appears to be immovable, there are small plastic feet and wheels below each piece, including the ottomans, that allow the Soriana, whatever form it takes, to be easily moved around a room.
While architecture, furniture, and lighting all came together in the Scarpas’ office, a number of their furniture designs, such as the Soriana sofa, are referred to as ‘iconic’. Produced by Cassina until the 1980s, the Soriana was then re-released towards the end of the millennium. One of the spearheads for its renewed interest was as the lounge of choice for Los Angeles-based designer Kelly Wearstler, seen as ‘kicking off the frenzy’ when the Soriana sofa and two chairs were photographed in her living room in the early noughties. Featuring one cream-covered lounge and two chairs opposite the central coffee table, the multiple folds became even more sculptural with the Malibu sunlight streaming in through the home’s generous picture windows.
The Soriana sofa in the Mobilia showroom in Melbourne | Photography by Timothy Kaye
The cream-coloured fabrics continue to be popular today, with the design offered in velvet, wool, or leather. It sits as comfortably in a mid-20th-century home as it does in a period room, with a crystal chandelier hovering above rich timber parquetry floors. Interior designer Caecilia Potter, like many designers, is in love with the Soriana. “It’s extremely voluptuous, as with a lot of the other Scarpa designs. It’s also playful and has its own personality,” Caecilia says, who also sees its versatility. “It just works so well in both contemporary and period homes,” she adds.
The Cassina Soriana sofas and armchairs designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Cassina
A vintage Soriana sofa in fashion designer Danielle Bernstein’s home | Photography by Ursula Armstrong
The Cassina Soriana sofa and armchairs in Angel Oaks residence by [STRANG] Design | Photography by Kris Tamburello
