“Extending Heritage; Experiments in low-cost photogrammetry in dense urban spaces” presented by Horta
Session Title:
Presentation Title:
Presenter(s):
Abstract:
The virtual reality art piece reflects on the role of contemporary creative practice, such as photogrammetry, game engines and virtual reality, in the holistic digital preservation of cultural heritage sites. Conducted in Hanoi, Vietnam, the study utilised low-cost photography and 3 D scanning to document various urban sites. Despite challenges with proprietary software and large photogrammetry datasets, mobile scanning apps offered a practical initial workflow. The artist then employed open-source tools such as Blender (Blendr Foundation 2019) to refine the 3D models, capturing minute details such as scratches and dust accumulation. These details, often overlooked, tell a rich story of the object’s history, the materials used, the time, foreign influences, and the object’s use over time. The work underscores the importance of capturing not just the physical dimensions but also the intangible elements of heritage sites. Virtual reality offers a platform to recontextualise these spaces, allowing wider audiences to explore them and allowing people to collage or rework physical objects in their practice.
