diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2f33dab..a2c68cc 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Added
 
+* Added new file storage manager `FileStorage` to `compas_cadwork.storage`.
+* Added new project storage manager `ProjectStorage` to `compas_cadwork.storage`.
+
 ### Changed
 
 ### Removed
diff --git a/src/compas_cadwork/storage.py b/src/compas_cadwork/storage.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..842ba50
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/compas_cadwork/storage.py
@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+import logging
+from typing import Dict
+from compas.data import Data
+from compas.data import json_dumps
+from compas.data import json_loads
+from compas.data import json_dump
+from compas.data import json_load
+
+from utility_controller import set_project_data
+from utility_controller import get_project_data
+
+LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+class StorageError(Exception):
+    """Indicates a failed save operation to persistent storage."""
+
+    pass
+
+
+class Storage:
+    """Base class for storage implementations."""
+
+    def save(self, data: Dict | Data):
+        """Save the data to the storage."""
+        raise NotImplementedError
+
+    def load(self) -> Dict | Data:
+        """Load the data from the storage."""
+        raise NotImplementedError
+
+
+class ProjectStorage(Storage):
+    """Saves stuff to persistency using the project data storage.
+
+    This will store said stuff inside the currently open cadwork 3d project file.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    key : str
+        A project-wide unique key to store the data under.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, key: str):
+        self._key = key
+
+    def save(self, data: Dict | Data):
+        """Save the data to the project storage.
+
+        Note
+        ----
+        The data is not really saved until the project file is saved.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        data : dict or :class:`compas.data.Data`
+            The data to save.
+
+        """
+        data_str = json_dumps(data)
+        LOG.debug(f"save to key:{self._key} data: {data_str}")
+        set_project_data(self._key, data_str)
+        # TODO: should we trigger a file save here? otherwise the data is not really saved
+
+    def load(self) -> Dict | Data:
+        """Load the data from the project storage.
+
+        Raises
+        ------
+        StorageError
+            If no data is found for the key.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        dict or :class:`compas.data.Data`
+            The loaded data.
+        """
+        data_str = get_project_data(self._key)
+        LOG.debug(f"load from key:{self._key} data: {data_str}")
+        if not data_str:
+            raise StorageError(f"No data found for key: {self._key}")
+        return json_loads(data_str)
+
+
+class FileStorage(Storage):
+    """Saves stuff to a local file.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    filepath : str
+        The path to the file to save to.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, filepath: str):
+        self.filepath = filepath
+
+    def save(self, data: Dict | Data):
+        """Save the data to the file.
+
+        Raises
+        ------
+        StorageError
+            If the save operation fails.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        data : dict or :class:`compas.data.Data`
+            The data to save.
+        """
+        try:
+            json_dump(data, self.filepath, pretty=True)
+            LOG.debug("Data saved successfully to file.")
+        except Exception as e:
+            raise StorageError(f"Failed to save data to file: {e}")
+
+    def load(self) -> Dict | Data:
+        """Load the data from the file.
+
+        Raises
+        ------
+        StorageError
+            If the load operation fails.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        dict or :class:`compas.data.Data`
+            The loaded data.
+        """
+        try:
+            return json_load(self.filepath)
+        except Exception as e:
+            raise StorageError(f"Failed to load data from file: {e}")