Emanuele Piaia

Digital Memory and Integrated Data Capturing: Innovations for an Inclusive Cultural Heritage in Europe Through 3D Semantic Modelling.

Starting from different applications in 3D integrated laser scanner survey of heritage buildings and sites, this chapter will illustrate advanced procedures in 3D surveying and modelling of complex buildings, focusing on the ongoing European project “INCEPTION—Inclusive Cultural Heritage in Europe through 3D semantic modelling”, funded by the EC within the Programme Horizon 2020. The project methodology proposes the enhancement of efficiency in 3D data capturing methodologies, procedures and devices beyond current standards, especially as regards their suitability and aptitude for tangible cultural assets, characterized by nonconventional features, locations and geometries. Within the overall documentation process, the semantic enrichment of 3D models will enable an inclusive approach for accessing and understanding European cultural heritage through digital documentation.

Accessing and Understanding Cultural Heritage Through Users Experience Within the INCEPTION Project

The interdisciplinary EU funded project INCEPTION – Inclusive Cultural Heritage in Europe through 3D semantic modelling, coordinated by the Department of Architecture of the University of Ferrara, is focused on bringing together innovative 3D modelling and ICT applications and professionals involved in different fields of Cultural Heritage. The aim is to increase knowledge, enhancement and dissemination through 3D digital models in order to promote the inclusiveness and accessibility of European assets. In this direction, a Stakeholder Panel with different skills in the field of Cultural Heritage has been involved leading the research toward effective strategies to increase use and reuse of digital models. These strategies are aimed at maximizing the impact of using digital data for cultural heritage applications involving a wide range of non-expert and expert users, starting from specific requirements for processing, managing, delivering cultural heritage information to a broad audience. A co-design workshop has been organized involving Stakeholders in order to investigate on their requirements and expectations, to obtain information that could be useful for the User Centered process of definition of INCEPTION’s main outcomes and functionalities.

3D Data Acquisition and Modelling of Complex Heritage Buildings

The ongoing EU funded project “INCEPTION – Inclusive Cultural Heritage in Europe through 3D semantic modelling” proposes a workflow aimed at the achievements of efficient 3D digitization methods, post-processing tools for an enriched semantic modelling, web-based solutions and applications to ensure a wide access to experts and non-experts. Nevertheless, the generation of high quality 3D models can still be very time-consuming and expensive, and the outcome of digital reconstructions is frequently provided in formats that are not interoperable, and therefore cannot be easily accessed. This challenge is even more crucial for complex architectures and large heritage sites, which involve a large amount of data to be acquired, managed and enriched by metadata. In order to face these challenges and to start solving the issues of the large amount of captured data and time-consuming processes in the production of 3D digital models, an Optimized Data Acquisition Protocol (DAP) has been set up. The purpose is to guide the processes of digitization of Cultural Heritage, respecting needs, requirements and specificities of cultural assets, by dealing with issues such as time-consuming processes and limited budget available for 3D documentation, accuracy of 3D models, integration of metadata and semantics into the 3D model and links with multimedia information. The DAP can be followed during the planning and performing of a 3D laser scanner survey of Cultural Heritage, and it is referred to architectural, archaeological, urban and site scales.

Sustainable strategies for regeneration of rural building heritage

This paper provides an introduction to the aims of the EU Villas project (Interreg IIIB Cadses 2000–2006). It entails the improvement and revitalisation of the aesthetic and economic aspects of architectural heritage by creating an evaluation model and defining a compatible strategic tool for re-use, in keeping with the planning criteria and sustainable policies of the CADSES area (Coccagna M. et al. Recupero e gestione dell’edilizia rurale dell’Emilia-Romagna: progetto Villas, “Paesaggio Urbano”, 2006). The European countries involved in this research project are developing common strategies to preserve and exploit their environmental and building heritage and to implement cultural-tourism activities. Specific tools have been developed in order to assess and valorise the aesthetic and economic aspects of architectural heritage, taking into account each country’s peculiarities (specific problems, users, regulations, etc).

The Reuse And Valorisation OfRural Building Heritage

This paper provides an introduction to the aims of the EU Villas project (Interreg IIIB Cadses 2000-2006). It entails the improvement and revitalisation of the aesthetic and economic aspects of architectural heritage by creating an evaluation model and defining a compatible strategic tool for re-use, in keeping with the planning criteria and sustainable policies of the CADSES area. The European countries involved in this research project are developing common strategies to preserve and exploit their environmental and building heritage and to implement cultural-tourism activities. Specific tools have been developed in order to assess and valorise the aesthetic and economic aspects of architectural heritage, taking into account each country’s peculiarities (specific problems, users, regulations, etc). Our research group at the University of Ferrara, Department of Architecture, is studying rural buildings in Emilia Romagna that are insufficiently valorised. The preservation of this heritage can be achieved through economic re-use and the definition of integrated strategies ranging from land planning to sustainable refurbishment techniques. These strategies are presented in this paper.