Benetton Console by Afra and Tobia Scarpa

Console designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Benetton stores in the 1970s, a refined example of their research on the relationship between structure, material, and construction. The top is made of combined woods of different essences, selected to create a natural and calibrated chromatic alternation, which is not decorative for its own sake but emphasizes the linear design of the object. The tonal variations, from honey to the deepest brown, create a dynamic yet controlled surface, typical of the Scarpa design sensitivity. The perimeter edge is defined by a continuous profile in time-oxidized brass, a material that recurs in all the metallic elements of the structure, giving coherence and a warmer, more sophisticated character to the whole. The base is composed of cylindrical solid wood legs in multiple essences, connected at the top by brass elements and reinforced by a system of visible diagonal brass tension rods, a structural solution that becomes a distinctive graphic feature of the design. This system is not only technical, but builds a visual tension between the top and the structure, emphasizing the overall balance. The result is an extremely measured object, where the quality of materials and the clarity of construction define an essential yet cultured aesthetic, perfectly representative of 1970s Italian design. The console is in excellent vintage condition with minor signs of time and use that give it originality and character.