Steven Mankouche

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Steven Mankouche is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of digital fabrication, material craft, and architectural design. His work fundamentally reexamines traditional building materials through the lens of contemporary robotic tooling, challenging the dominance of standardized, flat construction. Mankouche’s most cited project, "Morphfaux: Probing the Proto-Synthetic Nature of Plaster Through Robotic Tooling" (2012), exemplifies this approach by reviving the nearly lost craft of plaster. Through applied research, he demonstrates how robotic manipulation can transform this ancient material into thickened, synthetic architectural environments, directly countering the flatness of modern drywall. While his citation count reflects a focused, emerging body of work (7 citations for his flagship paper), his impact is deeply qualitative, influencing discourse on material agency and digital craft in architecture. Mankouche’s contributions lie in bridging historical techniques with cutting-edge technology, offering a provocative model for how architects can move beyond mere digital representation toward a more tactile, materially intelligent practice. His research is essential reading for students and scholars interested in the future of construction, robotic fabrication, and the poetic potential of humble materials.