Botta started work as an architect with Carlo Scarpa, Le Corbusier and Luis Kahn. From his first detached houses in Ticino to the Maison du Livre, de l'Image et du Son di Villeurbanne, right through to the Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco, his architectural language has been celebrated for being simple, archaic, and eternal.
Botta's works characteristically show respect for topographical conditions and regional sensibilities and his designs generally emphasize craftsmanship and geometric order. Because he attempts to reconcile traditional architectural symbolism with the aesthetic rules of the Modern Movement, Botta is often identified with the Italian neo-rationalist group, the Tendenaz.