Height-Adjustable Dining Table convertible in Coffee Table, model T5
Ignazio Gardella (1905–1999) was one of the leading figures in 20th-century Italian architecture and design. Born in Milan into a distinguished family of architects and engineers, he graduated in Engineering from the Politecnico di Milano in 1928 and later in Architecture from the IUAV in Venice in 1949. His work evolved from Italian Rationalism and the Modern Movement toward a freer and more sophisticated design language that became particularly influential in post-war Italy. Gardella’s design philosophy was based on geometric rigor, balanced proportions, functionality, and careful attention to materials, combining architectural precision with an elegant and highly refined approach to domestic interiors. His furniture and lighting designs played an important role in shaping the distinctive language of Italian modern design. Ignazio Gardella and Azucena In 1947, Ignazio Gardella founded Azucena together with Luigi Caccia Dominioni, establishing one of the first Italian companies devoted to the production of high-quality furniture and design objects. His collaboration with Azucena became a fundamental chapter in the history of post-war Italian design. Gardella created numerous pieces of furniture and lighting for the company, helping define the sophisticated Milanese aesthetic that would characterize interiors throughout the 1950s and 1960s. The T5 Height-Adjustable Table Among Gardella’s most distinctive designs for Azucena is the T5 height-adjustable table, an exceptional example of post-war Italian design. Produced by Azucena, Italy, in 1949, the T5 combines a refined structure in lacquered metal and brass with a sophisticated tabletop and a removable wooden tray. Its innovative mechanism allows the height to be adjusted, transforming the table from a dining or working table into a coffee table. This ingenious solution combines versatility and functionality without compromising the elegant architectural character of the design. The T5 perfectly expresses Gardella’s approach to functional, transformable, and architectural design. Its ability to adapt to different uses through a simple height adjustment makes it one of the most representative creations of Gardella’s work for Azucena and of the Italian design culture of the 1940s and 1950s.
Walnut | brass | black lacquered hammered metal