To maximize the toughening contributions due to fiber bridging and residual stresses upon layering, ultra-high temperature ceramics containing variable amounts of short carbon fiber in functionally graded stacking sequences were designed and characterized. Stress fields evaluated by finite element model on (AB)nA and more complex asymmetric architectures were compared to the experimental fracture toughness pointing to an effective toughness increment in those structures where the notch fell in zones of residual compression. For the best composite, toughness at room temperature achieved 7 MPa·m0.5 and further increased to 10 MPa·m0.5 when tested at 1500 °C within a light ZrB2-based composite with density below 4 g/cm3.According to the numerical simulations and the effective microstructural features of the composites, the main guidelines for the realization of ceramics with simultaneous failure …