Vico Magistretti for De Padova 'Vidun' Dining Table with Colorful Geometric Base

Vico Magistretti for De Padova, 'Vidun' dining table, stained beech, glass, Italy, 1986

Although the object appears immediately playful because of its vivid coloration and exposed mechanism, the table can also be understood as part of Vico Magistretti’s long-standing interest in reducing furniture to a clear structural idea. Throughout his career, Magistretti repeatedly worked through typologies by isolating one constructive gesture and making it visible. In Vidun, created in 1986, that gesture is the screw.

The title itself is revealing. “Vidun,” in Milanese dialect, refers to a large screw, and the entire table is organized around this mechanical principle. By turning the screw mechanism, the glass top can be raised or lowered, recalling adjustable carpenter’s benches or industrial worktables. The transparency of the top allows the construction beneath to remain fully visible.