Search

In the last decade, research interest in digital stereotomy has been renewed, with efficiency as a popular objective. However, along with a mainstream focus on full customization, comes a paradox of efficient design yet inefficient fabrication. Provoked by this situation, the potential of modular stereotomy is explored here. By utilizing a parametric design approach and rapid additive prototyping method, sequential experiments were executed to test seventy variations of units. As a result, a clear workflow and an optimized design were generated and used to form a modular stereotomy construction. Finally, efficiency was achieved from three standpoints: main material efficiency through complete modularity, supporting material efficiency through total elimination of shims and up to 91% reduction in falsework, and material use-value maximization through an easy assembly of form and a selection of up to six different constructional strategies to build arches with similar shape and volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the article is to describe the historical background and the birth of a relatively new discipline consisting in the digital evolution of classical stereotomy. “Stereotomy 1.0” comprises the early development of the discipline primarily related to stonecutting. The new discipline, “Stereotomy 2.0” goes beyond this early concept to embrace contemporary design paradigms and materials. It is described in an “Unfinished Manifesto”, which describes its fundamental theoretical principles, understood as a new didactic comprehensive approach for the schools of architecture and a new design process useful for contemporary architectural design. Each point of the Manifesto is described in a short paragraph and shows the most important theoretical nodes of the renewed discipline. The various points are then exemplified by the experimental projects presented in the final part of the article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]