An experiment within the DFL.
Project coordination: José Pedro Sousa
Design team: Pedro de Azambuja Varela, Pedro Martins
Photographs: Carlos de Albuquerque Castro

An experiment within the DFL.
Project coordination: José Pedro Sousa
Design team: Pedro de Azambuja Varela, Pedro Martins
Photographs: Carlos de Albuquerque Castro

This workshop was lectured at Istanbul Technical University. A collaboration between FAUP’s DFL and ITU’s ArfLab, the vault was built with stereotomic rammed earth voussoirs.
Architecture project by Pedro de Azambuja Varela A carport was in demand. The connection between the polygonal line of the garage roof and the horizontal site wall created this subtle yet obivous solution. The use of a “half-pipe” roof tile was key in this strangely shaped roof.
In June 2020 I defended my PhD thesis entitled “Reconstruction of a Stereotomy – for a multi-semantic stereotomic approach”. The PDF document has Open Access and can be download in Universidade do Porto website here. https://sigarra.up.pt/faup/pt/NOTICIAS_GERAL.VER_NOTICIA?p_nr=69842 Abstract: Stereotomy is the classic body of knowledge which deals with stonecutting for building arch like structures. The interest […]
This paper focuses on the development of a BIM (Building Information Modeling) tool for stereotomic design, aiming to create a bridge between academic research and practical implementation of stereotomy in the construction sector. The creation of a stereotomic BIM tool enhances the use of compressive materials within funicular shapes to minimize reliance on carbon-intensive steel-reinforced […]
Stone Translucent Verticalities is an architectural sculpture that highlights the potentialities of stone/marble digital design and fabrication combined with artificial lighting. The main theme of the design is the relationship between sculpted lithic materials and translucency: in fact, by reducing thethickness of the stone at certain points, light can pass through the matter and allows […]
The Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto (FAUP) opens a call for 1 (one) Research Grant (BI), within the scope of the project “Stereotomic BIM – Exploring sustainable design and construction in structural stone” (Ref. 2023.15500.PEX), funded by FCT, I.P. – Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P. through national funds, underway at the […]
We live today in a world with extreme energetical and environmental challenges. Recognizing the irresponsible usage of reinforced concrete is one of the first steps to solving this problem, and tackling alternative solutions is the second. Here, we propose structural stone slabs. This functional model is a prototype for a (re)new(ed) kind of slab. Taking […]
Publication and communication of article “Genetic Algorithms in Architecture – History and Relevance”. Lecture in April 2013
Aimed at a couple connected to the restaurant business, this project was born out of the need to reconvert a traditional flat into a different living space, where the kitchen and living room are in the same environment. Thus, following the integration of these two areas in the same space, the impetus arose to make […]
Recent developments in digital design and fabrication tools have led architects and researchers to renew the interest in stereotomy. This interest converges with a growing ecological and economical conscience that matches classic stereotomy raw material needs: compression resistance materials. However, material resources or prefabrication time are still major counterparts for the adoption of this construction […]
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