Italian Tesi Dining Table by Mario Botta for Alias, 1986

About This Piece

Vintage Design

During the 1980s, famous Swiss architect, Mario Botta worked with the manufacturer Alias as a designer on a whole range of furniture. Botta’s ingenious designs are often composed of simple geometric shapes, while also creating unique complex spaces. See images 3 and 8 in this posting to see some of his stunning architectural works.

This Dining table or desk, titled the model "Tesi" from 1986, was designed by Mario Botta and produced by Alias. The perforated sheet steel structure is lacquered in black with a rectangular glass top. This iconic table demonstrates the influence of Le Corbusier, Louis Kahn and Carlo Scarpa on Botta’s work.
Condition: The table for sale here is in great original condition with less-than-usual usage marks for its age. It has been very well taken care of for its entire life.

Artist:
Mario Botta (Swiss, born 1943)
Title:
TESI TABLE
Documentation:
Signed
Origin:
Switzerland, Made in Italy
Period:
1980-1999
Materials:
lacquered metal and glass.
Creation Date:
1986
Styles / Movements:
Modern, Postmodern
Size:
Glass Top:
86cm W x 241cm L x 1.5cm Thickness
Black Base:
65cm W x 197cm L x 73.5cm H

Click here for full description Close description

Creator	Mario Botta
Manufacturer	Alias
Design Period	1980 to 1989
Year	1986
Production Period	1980 to 1989
Country of Manufacture	Italy
Identifying Marks	This piece has been attributed based on archival documentation, such as vintage catalogs, designer records, or other literature sources
Style	Postmodern
Detailed Condition	Very Good — This vintage/antique item has no defects, but it may show slight traces of use.
Restoration and Damage Details	Light wear consistent with age and use
Product Code	GEH-1487954
Materials	Glass, Metal
Color	Black
Width	86 cm 86 cm
Depth	241 cm 241 cm
Height	74 cm 73.5 cm
Weight Range	Heavy — Over 80kg

Shipping & Delivery

Ships from	Switzerland
Returns	Returns accepted within fourteen days of delivery, except for Made-to-order items

Sustainability

Carbon Neutral	For every purchase made, Pamono offsets 100% of estimated carbon emissions from global shipping.
Vintage	Choosing vintage and antique furniture reduces your carbon footprint by cutting down on waste and reduces demand for new materials and extends the life of the products we use.

Delivery Options

Front Door Delivery: (Included in Every Order)	A skilled driver will unload the item(s) from the delivery truck and bring it to your building’s doorstep. You will be responsible for further transport beyond that point. We recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand; alternatively, you may upgrade to In-Home Delivery (see below). The delivery partner will email and/or call you at least one day in advance to arrange a delivery time. A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection. Item will be left in its packaging after delivery. A signature will be required upon delivery.
In-Home Delivery: (For in-home delivery service, additional fees apply. Please get in touch)	A skilled driver or a team of two will bring your item(s) inside your home and place it in the immediate entryway. For unusually large or heavy items, we recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand, as we cannot send more than 2 drivers. The delivery partner will email and/or call you one day in advance to arrange a delivery time. A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection. Item will be left in its packaging after delivery. A signature will be required upon delivery.

Front Door Delivery:
(Included in Every Order)

A skilled driver will unload the item(s) from the delivery truck and bring it to your building’s doorstep. You will be responsible for further transport beyond that point. We recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand; alternatively, you may upgrade to In-Home Delivery (see below).
The delivery partner will email and/or call you at least one day in advance to arrange a delivery time.
A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection.
Item will be left in its packaging after delivery.
A signature will be required upon delivery.

In-Home Delivery:
(For in-home delivery service, additional fees apply. Please get in touch)

A skilled driver or a team of two will bring your item(s) inside your home and place it in the immediate entryway. For unusually large or heavy items, we recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand, as we cannot send more than 2 drivers.
The delivery partner will email and/or call you one day in advance to arrange a delivery time.
A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection.
Item will be left in its packaging after delivery.
A signature will be required upon delivery.

*Important Note

Please examine every order upon delivery. In the event that there are visible signs of damage or missing or incorrect pieces, please indicate the problem on the Delivery Note and contact us within 48 hours of delivery. A signed delivery receipt without notations of missing, damaged, or incorrect item(s) represents your acceptance of the complete order in perfect condition.

About the Creator

Mario Botta

Born in 1943 in Mendrisio, Switzerland, award-winning architect-designer Mario Botta has built an international reputation for striking postmodern public and private spaces that blend Classical forms with a contemporary sensibility.

Exhibiting a strong interest in design, Botta left school at the age of 15 to become a draftsman and later apprenticed for the architectural studio Carloni & Camenisch in Lugano. After three years, the studio appointed him head designer of the parish house of Genestrerio. Botta eventually left to further his education, attending the Liceo Artistico in Milan and finally the Istituto Universitario di Architettura IUAV in Venice. There he studied under architect-designer Carlo Scarpa and received his professional degree in 1969. During his time in Venice, architectural luminaries Le Corbusier (1887-1965) and Louis Kahn (1901-1974) hired him to work on local projects. These mentors forged a lasting impact on Botta’s career and aesthetic approach.

Around 1970, Botta opened his own practice in Lugano and focused on designing houses and churches. His first solo project—a single-family dwelling in Cadenazzo, Switzerland (1970-1)—features a strong, rectilinear silhouette penetrated by well-composed geometric voids. Botta used pre-industrial materials like brick, stone, and wood, rather than “traditionally” modernist materials like steel and glass.

Other standout projects from Botta’s architectural career include a private house in Viganello, Switzerland (1981); the Cathedral of the Resurrection in Évry, France (1988-1990); the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (1990-1995); the Church of San Giovanni Battista in Mogno, Switzerland (1992-1996); the Tinguely Museum in Basel (1995-96); the National Bank of Greece in Athens (1998-2001); the Tschuggen Bergoase Spa in Arosa, Switzerland (2007); and the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art in Charlotte, North Carolina (2009-2010).

Botta’s product designs tend to echo the simple, serene geometry found in his buildings. Standouts include the Quinta 605 Chair for Alias (1985), Shogun Parete and Shogun Lamp for Artemide (both 1986), Italian Seconda Chairs for Alias (1982) and Tesi 609 Table for Alias (1985).

Over the course of his illustrious career, Botta has served as a visiting professor at the École Polytechnique Fédérale in Lausanne, Switzerland, and he has been the recipient of numerous design awards, including the Grand Officer Award from then Italian president Carlo Azeglio Ciampi in 2006. He is a member of many notable groups, such as the Commissione Federale Svizzera delle Belle Arti, the Bund Deutscher Architekten (BDA), and the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

Botta’s designs can be found in permanent collections around the world. Notably, he founded the Academy of Architecture Switzerland in 1996. He is also the author of numerous books and monographs.

Today, Botta continues to design in Lugano.