Presentation in the Digital Darq event. Showcase of personal research on cork stereotomies.

Presentation in the Digital Darq event. Showcase of personal research on cork stereotomies.

Architectural models are usually very good at representing space and rather bad at representing time. We can model a wall, a roof or an entire building in detail, but it is much harder to ask a simple historical question: what existed here in 1700? Historical Time is a small experimental plug-in I developed for Rhino […]
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 […]
This arch was built in the DFL to showcase the possibilities of 3D printed customized joints. 144 joints were modelled automatically with a custom crafted algorithm and printed on site. The metal plates were laser cut. This work was developed together with Prof. Dr. José Pedro Sousa and João Carvalho. It is feature in this […]
This paper describes the theory and practical experiments on the development of a system for the deployment of stereotomic voussoirs. The recent availability of digital design and fabrication tools has enabled architects to embrace stereotomic thinking, allowing for the efficient spanning of spaces with low tensile capable materials such as stone. The proposed fabrication system […]
At the request of Prof. Alexandra Paio, two lectures were given to the students of the 3rd grade of Architecture. The purpose was to accomplish an exercise on Shape Grammars, yelding very interesting results. These lectures were carried out in May 2013
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 […]
Poster presented in the Nexus 2012 – Relationships Between Architecture and Mathematics. This presentation was about the relation of a complex geometry with constructive constraints.
Presentation in the Digital Darq event. Showcase of personal research on cork stereotomies.
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 […]
This work was the result of my studies at CEAAD – Curso de Estudos Avançados em Arquitectura Digital – organized by ISCTE-IUL and FAUP, and hosted in ISCTE-IUL and VFABLAB in Lisbon in 2013-2013. When approached with a raw material such as expanded cork agglomerate, materiality is a concept that is present from the very […]
All content © Copyright 2026 by Pedro de Azambuja Varela.
Subscribe to RSS Feed