Scandurra Backstage
In a time marked by profound environmental, social, and technological transitions, Scandurra Studio launches Scandurra Backstage, a new in-house research and development department aimed at exploring ongoing transformations and offering innovative design models for urban and living spaces.
Born from the studio’s twenty years of experience in designing and regenerating contemporary spaces, Scandurra Backstage brings together architects, researchers, and external partners in a laboratory of applied research focused on three main areas:
• Design methodologies: tools, practices, and emerging processes in the built environment
• Systems and materials: technological innovation, sustainability, and new construction solutions
• Social models: evolving forms of living, relationships, and urban cultures
“Backstage, for us, is everything behind what appears,” says Alessandro Scandurra, the studio’s founder. “It’s essential for us to stay in tune with our time—making architecture and design tools for listening, where architecture plays a crucial role in orchestrating not just the experience of space, but the shared production of meaning, experience, and belonging.”
The department will explore cross-cutting themes through a comparative and interdisciplinary approach, starting from real-world contexts: schools, care spaces, residences, workplaces, and public environments. The first research outputs will be presented by 2026 through publications, design prototypes, exhibitions, and workshops open to partners, public institutions, schools, and universities.
“With Scandurra Backstage, we want to broaden the scope of traditional design,” adds Giancarlo Tonoli, Research and Development Director of the new department. “We’re not just designing spaces, but systems of relationships among regulatory frameworks, informal practices, and emerging needs. Our goal is to offer design as a tool, not just a service.”
Scandurra Backstage has already launched partnerships with companies, research centers, and consultancies active in design, technology, and social innovation. A digital editorial platform dedicated to sharing and disseminating research content will also be activated in parallel.
