The adventure of Wo-Co, the Workshop in Cooperation born from the collaboration between SUPSI and the University of Hawassa, which takes place in Ethiopia for a fortnight between January and February and has a prologue in Mendrisio in the autumn, has started again this year.
12 students of the SUPSI Bachelor of Arts in Architecture in their 3rd year and 2 students of the SUPSI Bachelor of Arts in Visual Communication in their 2nd year have the opportunity to participate in a unique educational experience dedicated to vernacular architecture.
Under the guidance of Michele Cutolo, Marco Rizzi, Piero Conconi and Lorenzo Fontana, the participants will tackle the challenges posed by the construction of the Guastavino tile, also known as the Catalan vault, a technique never before explored in their journey. Work began in Switzerland to create the 1:5 scale model of the vault and its table in five intense days. Model and table are now on display on the first floor of the ramp at the SUPSI Campus in Mendrisio until 28 October.
The 2025 Wo-Co will be held in Hawassa from 25 January to 8 February with the participation of a group of students from the local partner University. It will then be time to build a live structure inspired by the Guastavino tile, combining tradition and innovation.
The workshop, of course, goes far beyond the project, the bricks and the arches: it is a real journey between cultures and perspectives that forges intercontinental friendships and binds the students closely together. And the eyes of those who study Architecture cross paths with those who study Visual Communication to collaborate and contribute their skills, one brick after another.