Stone on Stone – Digital Stereotomy

Stereotomy has a long tradition, and geometry and architecture come together through the art of stone cutting. The project “Stone on Stone - Digital Stereotomy” completed in winter semester 2021/22 aimed to enable competences in historical research, practical knowledge of red sandstone, as well as competences in the digital chain (from 3D modeling to materialization), with the help of robot-controlled processing in a research-oriented seminar. Practical experience with red sandstone and its processing were brought to our project through collaboration with the local natural stone factory “Carl Picard Natursteinwerk”. Workshops on the CAD software Rhinoceros and Grasshopper also introduced the students to parametric 3D modeling. The focus was on understanding and handling the geometry in a controlled manner. Additional course content provided an overview of digital representation methods, such as the creation of vector graphics, visualizations and computer-aided model making such as 3D printing. From the students’ projects, one project was selected for implementation in a 1:1 scale with the help of a robot. The results were presented at the international stone fair “Marmomac” 2022 (Verona, Italy).