Filippo Fantini

Game engine for Cultural Heritage: New opportunities in the relation between simplified models and database

Game engines can be regarded as powerful tools in the Cultural Heritage domain, not just as dissemination tools, but for managing the urban context in real time. This case-study is based on the ongoing project of Pietrabuona Castle (Pescia, Italy). It is an interesting example of a stratified historical centre, the conservation and promotion of which might benefit from using a new, integrated survey and alphanumeric data management tool. The method used to survey this medieval fortification had to provide both local institutions and researchers with an interactive tool encompassing several features of Cultural Heritage: from technical (decay, maintenance, environmental risks, etc.) to cultural (urban standard, historical understanding, immaterial features). Due to the cross-disciplinary nature of the ongoing project, we decided to share some major points of our investigation with the scientific community, in particular those concerning our procedure: the opportunity to use interactive applications to display themes of urban settlements as 3D models, based on a survey by laser scanner.

Survey and representation of vaults and cupolas: An overview on some relevant Italian UNESCO sites

This paper presents the results of an ongoing research on the survey of vaulted structures of important Italian monumental buildings belonging to UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Ravenna, Rome and Florence). The three case studies deal with various problems of documentation and representation of vaults and domes from different points of view: the first example is concerned with the conversion of apparent color texture from Structure from Motion applications into different maps able to represent heterogeneous BRDF behaviors; the second one illustrates the problem of virtual reconstruction of a partially collapsed ancient cupola using an integrated approach, and finally the last case study describes a technique for developing the eight sides of a textured mesh representing an octagonal frescoed dome. Therefore, the output of different examples, achieved with the combination of several applications, is presented to suggest a general overview regarding the documentation of vaulted spaces.

A Methodology for Planar Representation of Frescoed Oval Domes: Formulation and Testing on Pisa Cathedral

This paper presents an original methodology for planar development of a frescoed dome with an oval plan. Input data include a rigorous geometric survey, performed with a laser scanner, and a photogrammetry campaign, which associates a high-quality photographic texture to the 3D model. Therefore, the main topics include the development of geometry and, contextually, of the associated textures. In order to overcome the inability to directly develop the surface, an orthographic azimuthal projection is used. Starting from a prerequisite study of building methodology, the dome is divided into sectors and bands, each linked with the maximum acceptable deformations and the actual geometric discontinuities detectable by the analysis of Gaussian curvature. Upon definition of the development model, a custom automation script has been devised for geometry projection. This effectively generates a (u,v) map, associated to the model, which is used for model texturing and provides the planar development of the fresco.

Modelli digitali 3D per documentare, conoscere ed analizzare l’architettura e la costruzione nel mondo antico: l’esempio della Sala Ottagonale delle Piccole Terme di Villa Adriana

For its unique features and size, the Hadrian’s Villa site has always been the object of studies and investigations. Italian and foreign institutions, as well as research organizations, are working together with the common purpose of understanding and protecting the universally recognized ensemble of buildings and works of art, belonging to the World Heritage List since 1999. Within this interdisciplinary framework, over the past decade, new technologies for digital documentation in the field of cultural heritage have gained more importance with respect to the traditional field of architectural/archaeological surveying. Through expeditious surveying (with no physical contact with the object and different measurement resolutions) several 3D reality-based models were created in the last years, with special regards to the Villa’s pavilions characterized by more complex and daring shapes. The aim was a better understanding of specific problems in those cases where archaeological investigation methods may take advantage of a correct and complete digital surveying of elevations in general and in particular of vaulted spaces, intrados and extrados surfaces. 3D digital models of complex roofing, as shown in the case study of the Small Baths, provide additional advantages concerning the use of finite elements analysis (FEA). Both the digital models (current state of conservation and reconstruction hypothesis) underwent to an accurate stress analysis that enables further achievements for site conservation and management and for ancient constructive and designing techniques.

The geometry behind the Fontana di Sala Grande a case study of reverse modeling

The work presented here will show the story, the procedures and the methodology operated by our team during the 2010 to rebuild the fountain to the original composition, digitally working of the remains and reconstructing the missing parts, to reach the final result represented by the current, permanent, exhibition of the complete group in the Bargello Museum. Reverse modeling is a special technique implemented in pipelines from the field of design and mechanic engineering and it is aimed at converting meshes from 3D laser scanner in NURBS models. These techniques played an essential role for the reassembling process described in this paper: the missing arch that once connected the statues belonging to the fountain was re-designed inside an interdisciplinary framework where different skills allowed the solving of a difficult and delicate restitution.