Squadra Works x Olac Studio x Laura Bruder
Alessio De Gottardi, Laura Bruder, Saida Brückner
Squadra Works, Laura Bruder, and OLAC Studio collaborate on projects that merge architecture and sculpture through the reuse of industrial materials. Their work focuses on transformation, using existing components to create refined, unexpected forms. With an emphasis on material intelligence and construction logic, they explore the balance between precision, function, and visual impact.
In conversation with Alessio De Gottardi representing Squadra Works and Laura Bruder during the exhibition Oltre la pietra at Castelgrande, Bellinzona.
What is the purpose in your work? We came together with the idea of making art based on transformation and reuse, taking existing components, assembling them, and creating something new out of something already existing. The idea is to touch on themes of sustainability, but also to demonstrate that reuse can be a high-standard solution, rather than a process with less value compared to something new. Through our artistic practice, much like in architecture, we work with objects and wanted to create a work centered on transformation for this reason.
At my core, I am an architect. What I do in art is often influenced by my architectural practice, which is what inspires me. In both fields, I address the challenges that architecture faces today, which are clearly a reflection of society. In this case, my project is connected to the idea of preserving what already exists rather than destroying it, finding a new life for things to reduce environmental impact.
How do you see the role of the artist today?
The materials we choose are determined by what we find. In this case, the work results from the disintegration of something that already existed, so I work with many different types of materials. This particular piece is made of metal, but it could just as easily have been made of wood or plastic. The point is not what material we use, but how we disassemble it, take its parts, and reassemble them into something new. We value the material hunt itself, which is a core strength of our approach. We chose to use mainly metal in this piece to create a contrast between the different parts, from chromed to stainless. Sometimes people think that strong interventions are needed to create contrast. We also added a screen to prevent the lamp from being blinding, using a shape that typically protects office chair wheels.
I proposed this specific piece to Matazz because it is a transformation of an office chair, the lower chromed part with five wheels. What we did was take this base element as a mirrored support and add bulbs with protective covers that echo the shape of the wheels. This piece recalls the chandeliers and candelabras found in castles, and I believed it would fit well into the context of the castle.