diff --git a/modes/Pedestal.cc b/modes/Pedestal.cc
index 37894f6..69f04dd 100644
--- a/modes/Pedestal.cc
+++ b/modes/Pedestal.cc
@@ -9,6 +9,20 @@
 #include <GL/glu.h>
 
 #include "Pedestal.h"
+#include "glslUtil/glslUtil.h"
+
+#define N_PEDESTAL_LEVELS 4
+#define TOP_LEVEL_SIZE 4
+#define LEVEL_INC_SIZE 1.5
+#define LEVEL_HEIGHT 1
+
+static const GLfloat ped_normals[][3] = {
+    {1, 0, 0},
+    {0, 1, 0},
+    {-1, 0, 0},
+    {0, -1, 0},
+    {0, 0, 1}
+};
 
 Pedestal::Pedestal()
 {
@@ -58,6 +72,23 @@ bool Pedestal::configure (GnomeScreensaver & gs)
 
     glViewport(0, 0, gs.getWidth(), gs.getHeight());
 
+    typedef struct {
+        struct {
+            GLfloat pos[3];
+            GLfloat normal[3];
+        } verts[8];
+    } ped_vertex_data_t;
+    ped_vertex_data_t * vdata = new ped_vertex_data_t[N_PEDESTAL_LEVELS];
+    m_ped_vbo_id = guMakeBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, GL_STATIC_DRAW,
+            vdata, N_PEDESTAL_LEVELS * sizeof(vdata[0]));
+    for (int i = 0; i < N_PEDESTAL_LEVELS; i++)
+    {
+        float z = i * LEVEL_HEIGHT;
+        float r = TOP_LEVEL_SIZE / 2.0
+            + LEVEL_INC_SIZE * (N_PEDESTAL_LEVELS - 1 - i);
+    }
+    delete[] vdata;
+
     return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/modes/Pedestal.h b/modes/Pedestal.h
index bde5a0b..2aa0be6 100644
--- a/modes/Pedestal.h
+++ b/modes/Pedestal.h
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ class Pedestal : public Mode
         LogoBox m_logobox;
         uint64_t m_last_ticks;
         uint64_t m_start_ticks;
+        GLint m_ped_vbo_id;
 };
 
 #endif /* PEDESTAL_H */