Making as inquiry: A parametric robotic approach to the geometric formation of stone ornaments on medieval columns

While digital fabrication technologies were initially introduced to enhance speed and precision through automation and standardization, their integration with parametric modeling and analysis tools has increasingly contributed to the systematization of construction knowledge. The convergence of robotic fabrication systems and parametric design environments now facilitates customizable digital construction workflows and traceable data flows between digital geometries and material production, enabling more nuanced investigations into the relationship between form and construction. This study explores how these capabilities can be applied to investigate the generative principles linking geometry to construction in historical making techniques. Focusing on ornamental stone carvings found on the engaged columns of medieval monuments in Anatolia, it proposes a novel workflow that utilizes photogrammetric survey data to generate parametric robotic toolpaths for subtractive fabrication, capable of reproducing variations observed in carvings from the same historical context. Two distinct case groups are examined to explore how differences in engraved patterns and spiral-fluted column geometries reflect varied construction strategies. Rather than pursuing reconstruction, this approach frames robotic fabrication as an experimental method for interrogating embedded rules of making. By combining robotic control with parametric modeling, the study offers insights into how historical design intentions, construction tools, and making techniques may be encoded within carved geometries. Ultimately, the research positions digital fabrication not only as a mode of production, but also as a means of generating new insights about architectural heritage.