ABOUT
WAU2223 is a structural design studio founded in 2020 by Alessandro Garzanti, with the ambition of redefining the meaning of structure in the contemporary context. Its vision is shaped by the observation of forms and patterns of the natural world, combined with the intention to reinterpret them through the spaces we live in. The studio is interested in the intersection of art and engineering, conceiving structural engineering as a pure form of expression, capable of transforming the logic of forces into an aesthetic language. Its research focuses on the very essence of form – structure – space.
Exposure to a variety of international projects since the studio’s conception has guided WAU2223 in developing an approach to structural design as a language to engage in architectural and spatial dialogue. This approach fosters a continual reflection of the balance between emptiness and the logical manifestation of matter. We believe that structure is understood as the most authentic language of design, grounded in universal physical principles that govern the dynamic world around us, it is not the space that defines the structure, but the structure that creates the space. In a world that may appear chaotic yet is governed by mathematical and physical laws, structural design becomes a crucial interpretive tool to craft environments coherent with the intrinsic nature of humans and the world we live in.
WAU2223 seeks to encourage a new design sensibility that restores structural design to its central role in shaping spaces. The studio aspires to serve as a laboratory of critical thinking, challenging established paradigms and opening new perspectives on how we reimagine and structure human environments.
MANIFESTO
Old age
Structures emerge from the earth itself, shaped by raw and essential materials. | The boundary between the human and the natural remains indistinct, suspended in a state of collective unconsciousness. | Forms arise instinctively, simple, immediate, and self-evident.
Modern age
Structures become self-aware, conscious of their own materials. | They establish a decisive separation from their surroundings, enclosing themselves until they are bordered solely by other structural constructs. | And yet, they ultimately rest upon the earth.
New age
Structures break through their exoskeletons and logical frameworks, ascending toward the sky. The distinction between human cities and nature dissolves, as humanity inhabits nature itself as an urban organism. Forms return to the pure logic of nature.
