Shayani Fernando

The University of Sydney, Technische Universität Darmstadt

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Shayani Fernando is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of digital design, robotic fabrication, and stereotomy—the ancient art of cutting and assembling stone. Her work reimagines traditional craftsmanship through computational workflows, enabling the precise, subtractive fabrication of complex geometries that were previously impossible to achieve by hand. Fernando’s most-cited paper, “Towards a multi-criteria framework for stereotomy – Workflows for subtractive fabrication in complex geometries” (2018, 16 citations), establishes a foundational methodology for integrating robotic cutting with design-to-production processes, bridging heritage techniques with advanced manufacturing. She further explores the structural and aesthetic potential of stone through “Stereotomy of Wave Jointed Blocks” (2016, 12 citations), which investigates interlocking, non-standard block assemblies, and “Design and Fabrication of a ruled surface vault with the Exquisite Corpse” (2018, 3 citations), a collaborative project demonstrating the feasibility of doubly-curved stone surfaces. Her recent work, “Digitally Designed Stone Sculpting for Robotic Fabrication” (2023), continues to push boundaries in automated stone carving. With a growing citation record, Fernando is recognized for reviving stereotomy in the digital age, offering architects and engineers new tools for sustainable, expressive, and structurally intelligent masonry.