Mendrisio-Hawassa: from idea to reality one brick after another

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SUPSI is somewhat at home in Ethiopia: since 2014, students from the Department of environment constructions and design have been constructing a mini-building every year with their peers. Until 28 October at the SUPSI Mendrisio Campus you can discover the model of the vault that will be built in February.

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.

This is an architectural solution that combines ancient traditions (such as the Catalan vault) and modern materials (such as Portland cement, developed in 1860). The technique is based on the construction of vaults without the use of metal beams or arches, made with thin layers of bricks arranged in staggered courses and joined by a special mortar. The layers, superimposed one on top of the other, create a continuous and robust surface, capable of supporting considerable loads without the use of metal elements. 
From a technical point of view, the Guastavino vault is distinguished by its ability to cover large spans with a reduced thickness, thanks to the uniform distribution of loads through the bricks arranged in layers. This system not only allows for open and bright spaces, but also guarantees high structural strength.

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The expression designates architecture that is conceived in function of the territory in which it is developed and of those who, this territory, inhabit it. Buildings are constructed with natural materials available in the region itself and respect the criteria of sustainable social, environmental and economic development.

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Musical and mysterious names... what are they? For breakfast, for a snack or for parties, Ethiopian food is already intriguing the students of SUPSI in Mendrisio who are starting to study the recipes of the cuisine they will be tasting in a few months’ time.

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