Design and architecture: a porous boundary
In Carlo Scarpa's work, there is no clear distinction between architecture and design. Every project, even the most monumental, contains in itself a precise reflection on the object, on the minute scale, and on the encounter between function and form. This approach stems from an integrated vision of the project: for Scarpa it is not a question of 'designing buildings' and then 'filling them with objects', but of thinking of space as a coherent system, in which every element, from the floor to the handle, participates in the construction of meaning. Scarpa's education was deeply linked to the Venetian environment and artisan practice. This led him to develop an extreme sensitivity for detail, which is manifested in a very rich production of drawings, prototypes, and models. For example, he personally designed showcases, lecterns, easels, handles, lamps, and furnishings for many of his museum projects, always in dialogue with the architecture that houses them. These objects are never decorative. Rather, they are both functional and poetic.
The Olivetti Shop in Piazza San Marco (1957–1958) is perhaps the most emblematic example of this synthesis. Scarpa designed every element of this small, strategic space: the suspended steps, the counter, the marble floor, the display cases for typewriters and calculators, and the wall lights. Each object became a micro-world, an element that enriched the experience of the space. The store is a total work, where architecture becomes staging and design becomes architecture.
His attitude is close to that of other great Italian designers of the 20th century, such as Achille Castiglioni, Ettore Sottsass, and Franco Albini. However, Scarpa stands out for his poetic depth and bond with matter. His design is not industrial, but rather artisanal: it is made of unique pieces designed for a specific place through a coherent and thoughtful language.
This is also true for the Castelvecchio Museum, the Querini Stampalia Foundation, and the Correr Museum. Here, every piece of furniture, such as a handrail, a frame, or a support, becomes part of a larger story. This shows how Scarpa conceived the project as a unitary process. This is why talking about him only as an architect is reductive: Scarpa is a well-rounded author, capable of merging scales and crossing languages. www.correr.visitmuve.it
