Digital Stone Project/Garfagnana Innovazione is an unique collaboration between artists, designers and architects and the advanced technology facility at Garfagnana Innovazione which includes 7 axis carving robots and 5 axis gantry milling. It has rich implications for the future of architecture, sculpture and digitally-aided design and manufacturing.

In these workshops artists, designer and architects have repurposed software and machinery designed for the aerospace and automotive industries to the humanistic purpose of art, architecture and design.

They collaborated with robotics engineer Gabriel Ferri to program all of the computational data that drive the robotic cutting arm. To prepare files for carving, participants have scanned 3d objects, designed 3d objects in CAD software, developed generative designs, and have used CAM software to generate final solutions. The program provides opportunity for innovation and experimentation and creates a unique venue to realize form in marble.

The Digital Stone Project was founded in 2005 by sculptors who wanted to create a new way of working in stone by leveraging the burgeoning digital technologies. The board of directors is made up of pioneers who have been working with digital media in sculpture for 25 years. The Digital Stone Project has a partnership with the Garfagnana Innovazione located in Tuscany.

Garfagnana Innovazione is a state-of-the-art technology center equipped with robotic stone cutting equipment and access to the best sculptural marble in the world. We aim to organize and support residencies for architects, artists, and designers to travel to Garfagnana and create new works of art in stone. Our goal is to create a sustainable annual workshop, an annual exhibition schedule, and grow a network of creatives working with stone both digitally and traditionally.

Don’t miss next speaks in Harvard and Boston.