Milanese designer and architect Achille Castiglioni sought to inject personality into all of his work, and found deep inspiration in everyday objects. A legend of Italian mid-century modernism, he created iconic, universally loved table lamps, chairs and other lighting and furniture with his likeminded brothers during the postwar years.
There was the Snoopy lamp, which brings to mind the unmistakable Peanuts character, while the shape of a common street lamp inspired the design behind the Arco floor lamp. Elsewhere, the Toio floor lamp — a provocative fixture in any living room — was made with automotive parts as well as run-of-the-mill recreational gear.
Castiglioni studied the classics at Liceo Classico Giuseppe Parini, art at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera and finally architecture and design at the Polytechnic University of Milan. After graduating in 1944, Castiglioni began working with his brothers Pier Giacomo and Livio at the studio they cofounded with classmate Luigi Caccia Dominioni.
Livio left to pursue lighting design and sound technology, leaving Achille and Pier Giacomo to continue to collaborate on various projects. One such design was the iconic Taraxacum hanging lamp for FLOS which featured a resin “cocoon” created with sprayed plastic polymers that protects its steel core and allows for the diffusion of light.
Castiglioni won Italy’s highest award for industrial design — the Compasso d’Oro — seven times, and the Museum of Modern Art was home to his first individual retrospective in the United States. Castiglioni later taught at the Polytechnic University of Turin and at Polytechnic in Milan.
Castiglioni’s designs remain timeless. Some of them can be found in Tokyo’s Living Design Center Ozone, the Triennale di Milano and the Hangaram Art Museum at the Seoul Arts Center.
Find vintage Achille Castiglioni lighting, seating, tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.
21st Century by A.Castiglioni Oval Living Room Marble Table in White Carrara
By Achille Castiglioni
Located in massa, IT
Ovale Del Giardiniere marble table designed by Arch. Achille Castiglioni. Size: cm.230 x 130 x 73 H Materials: White Carrara - Venied blu Designed by: Achille Castiglioni.
Marble
$969 / item
H 18.12 in W 8.67 in D 15.75 in
White Carrara Marble Minimalist Oval Side Table “Column Side Table S”
By Josep Vila Capdevila
Located in Terrassa, Catalonia
The Column Side Table Small is a minimalist style side table consisting of a treated Carrara marble base, a white lacquered aluminum oval shape...
Carrara Marble, Marble, Brass, Aluminum
$8,546 / item
H 29.53 in Dm 59.06 in
21st Century Elena Salmistraro Table Polyurethane Green Marble Scapin Collezioni
By Elena Salmistraro
Located in Tezze sul Brenta, IT
Isotopo table design by Elena Salmistraro, product by Scapin Collezioni Limited Edition A vibrant round top is combined with a sculptural base made of three rounded conical suppo...
Marble
$1,080 / item
H 19.69 in Dm 17.33 in
21st Century Aile Folding Table in Real Calf Leather Handmade in Italy
By Pinetti
Located in Bagnatica, Lombardia
Functionality meets style for an easy-to-use foldable design. Our practical Aile coffee tables can be opened and closed with a simple gesture using its...
Leather
$2,753Sale Price / item|20% Off
H 14.57 in Dm 23.63 in
21st Century Customizable Across Round Red Lacquered Coffee Table in Iron
Located in Roma, IT
An iron origami that seems light, a game of cross shaped forms and surfaces of any geometric shape define this collection of tables, characterized by a feature common to all my protects: colour. The cross shaped base fits any shape of top, all produced with a 3mm metal plate of customizable colour, a project in the making, a construction game in which the end user is free to create their own custom table, a project within a project. The top could be Round, Oval, Elliptical or Squared with a custom made dimensions. Customer can choose any color from Ral Code. This one is RED Ral 3003...
Iron
$22,579Sale Price / item|20% Off
H 29.93 in W 118.12 in D 41.34 in
21st Century Kenai Dining Table Marble Steel. Made in Portugal by Porus Studio
Located in RIO TINTO, PT
Transpiring emotion through recreations of hidden treasures all around the world, Porus Studio designers conceived its modern collection. Inspired by the turquoise tranquility waters...
Marble, Stainless Steel
$17,049Sale Price / item|20% Off
H 29.53 in W 118.12 in D 45.28 in
21st Century Buck Oval Dining Table Wood Brass Handmade in Portugal by Porus
Located in RIO TINTO, PT
Inspired by this imposing nature hidden treasure, Porus Studio created the buck oval dining table to embellish any contemporary living space. The structure of the modern dining table...
Brass
$7,786Sale Price / item|20% Off
H 17.72 in W 47.25 in D 23.63 in
21st Century Giunchi Cocktail Table in white Marble Calacatta and Ash, Outdoor
By Hebanon Fratelli Basile, Hebanon Studio
Located in Nocera Superiore, Campania
This enchanting ash cocktail table is a tribute to the natural lightness of reed. The bold and luminous ellipsoidal top in white Calacatta marble is gracefully supported by the reed-...
Statuary Marble
$1,554 / item
H 26.78 in W 17.72 in D 25.6 in
21st Century Leather & Walnut Wood Dedalo Folding Table Handcrafed in Italy
By Pinetti
Located in Bagnatica, Lombardia
We have combined the practicality of a removable tray and foldable legs with the elegance of essential lines. Dedalo is our side table made with a walnut wood structure refined wi...
Leather, Walnut
$2,730 / item
H 21.66 in W 23.63 in D 23.63 in
21st Century Leather & Walnut Wood Chelsea Folding Table Handmade in Italy
By Pinetti
Located in Bagnatica, Lombardia
This side table line is one of Pinetti's latest collections. Chelsea folding tables are made of walnut wood and carry 2 removable trays, in exquisite Italian leather. Due to its ...
Leather, Walnut
$4,516Sale Price / item|20% Off
H 29.93 in Dm 29.53 in
21st Century, Queens Dining Table Wood Marble Made in Portugal by Porus Studio
Located in RIO TINTO, PT
Queens is the easternmost and biggest area of the five counties of New York City, geographically adjacent to the borough of Brooklyn at the western end of Long Island. This county is...
Marble, Brass
$15,549 / item
H 29.53 in W 59.06 in D 59.06 in
21st Century Elena Salmistraro Table Polyurethane Marble Resin Inlay Scapin
By Elena Salmistraro
Located in Tezze sul Brenta, IT
Isotopo Table design By Elena Salmistraro, product by Scapin Collezioni Limited Edition A vibrant round top is combined with a sculptural base made of three rounded conical supports...
Marble
$4,469Sale Price / item|20% Off
H 29.93 in W 31.5 in D 31.5 in
21st Century Atlanta Dining Table Marble Brass Made in Portugal by Porus Studio
Located in RIO TINTO, PT
Located in Georgia, Atlanta is the home of more than thirty-nine skyscrapers. Constructed in the '90s, the Bank of America Plaza is the tallest building in the city. Designed by the architectural firm Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates LLC, it is postmodern-inspired reminiscent of Art Deco. Transpiring emotion through a design recreation, Porus Studio...
Marble, Brass
Sold
H 27.56 in Dm 21.66 in
Folding Table Cumano Designed by Achille Castiglioni for Italian Manufactured
By Achille Castiglioni, Zanotta
Located in MIlano, IT
Folding table Cumano designed by Achille Castiglioni fort Italian manufactured Zanotta in 1978 The space-saving Cumano Folding Table was designed by Achille Castiglioni for the Italian manufacturer Zanotta in the year 1978. The frame and table top Cumano Folding Table/Side Table by Zanotta are made of steel, is in white. The timeless design was inspired by the classic shape of a bistro table, Achille Castiglioni took this idea in 1978, then reduced to a minimum, creating an iconic design, which is exhibited in the most important design museums of the world today. The shape of Cumano isn't only important for Italian's design history, the shape refers to the special object character of Castiglioni's designs. Cumano is much more than only a side table. When it is folded and hung from a wall, the table becomes a sculptural wall object...
Steel