The symposium Rethinking Stone Construction, held on 4 May 2026 in Sala Plana (FAUP), marked the opening session of the International Workshop Stereotomic Stone Architecture. Bringing together researchers, architects, industry partners and digital‑fabrication specialists, the event created a rare forum for discussing the renewed relevance of stereotomy in contemporary construction.

The session framed stone architecture not as a historical curiosity, but as a structural alternative aligned with low‑carbon construction, capable of addressing the environmental challenges posed by reinforced concrete. Speakers emphasized the urgency of rethinking not only materials but also the structural logics that underpin them—highlighting compression‑based systems, funicular geometries and the efficiency of stone as a geological, circular material.

A central moment of the symposium was the final public presentation of the STBIM research project – BIM Estereotómico, which explored the integration of stereotomic systems into BIM environments. The project demonstrated how digital tools can support the conception, modelling and documentation of stone structures grounded in principles of compression, bridging academic research with professional practice.

The invited interventions expanded this perspective, offering insights into design, fabrication and assembly processes associated with stereotomic construction. Contributions from Solubema, Giuseppe Fallacara, Christophe Aubertin (remote), Clemente Pinto, and McNeel illustrated the productive intersection between material production, architectural experimentation and digital workflows.

The session concluded with an open discussion, reinforcing the importance of collaborative research and industry engagement in advancing sustainable stone construction.