Tobia Scarpa "Nibay" extendable teak dining table for Gavina, Italy, 1961

A versatile extendable teak wood table, model Nibay, designed by Tobia Scarpa and produced by Gavina, Italy, 1961. It comfortably seats between six and ten people, depending on the configuration.

Close your eyes and picture a table. In your mind, you likely envision a flat top supported by four legs—a structure that is simple and rational. Chances are, what you’re imagining closely resembles the table Tobia Scarpa designed in 1961 for Gavina. In this piece, the Venetian architect seems to proceed by subtraction, stripping away all decorative or non-essential elements to arrive at a pure structural essence. The result is a form defined by simplicity, one that perfectly reflects the functionality of the object—a table.

To this essential design, Scarpa adds a practical feature: the top can be flipped open, doubling the usable surface and expanding its potential uses. A rational and pragmatic choice, fully aligned with the spirit of a design that originates from an ideal but is firmly rooted in everyday practicality.

Tobia Scarpa holds a prominent place in the history of contemporary architecture and design, as he successfully carried the legacy of mid-century designers into the modern era. His work is never a mere exercise in stylistic citation, but rather a thoughtful reinterpretation, imbued with a personal vision.

Dimensions:
Open: 200 × 146 × 70 cm (78.7 × 57.5 × 27.6 in)
Closed: 100 × 146 × 70 cm (39.4 × 57.5 × 27.6 in)