Steven Mankouche received his architectural training at Cornell University and the Architectural Association in London. He has lectured and taught architecture at institutions in the US and abroad, including the State University of New York at Buffalo and the Fachhochschule Liechtenstein. His work concerns sustainable architectural design and product design. His product design research involves the reuse of industrial by-products. Mankouche is a co-founder of ARCHOLAB, (Architectural Research Collaborative) with Joshua Bard and Matthew Schulte. This cross institutional collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University brings architects together with other disciplines such as art, robotics, activism, filmmaking, advocacy and even farming.  ARCHOLAB's work focuses on two primary concerns: the ability for people to construct their own environment and understanding relation between history, technology, materials and labor. ARCHOLAB is interested in developing design strategies and methods for empowering public participation in the design of their built environment.  ARCHOLAB uses digital technology to revisit and revive lost historic construction methods and practices. One driver behind ARCHOLAB's work is the understanding that pre-electrification technologies while being craft intensive are also most often centered around natural, low carbon footprint materials which are less predictable than highly industrialized materials. ARCHOLAB is interested in why certain material and methods are no longer in use and what drove them into extinction. Historic construction methods according to ARCHOLAB have deep seeded cultural roots which when investigated using digital fabrication tools such as multi axial robotic arms shed meaningful insight on the relation between haptic knowledge and craft as well as the economics of modern industrial manufacturing and the politics of labor.