3D virtual reconstruction is a tool that is still heavily underused and underestimated in cultural heritage and perceived only as a way to create visitor experiences. This presentation shows the research workflow that sits behind the virtual reconstruction process, but also shows examples of innovative ways to experience 3D virtual reconstructions for museums, monuments and sites, with a focus on GroupVR

1. 3D virtual reconstructions:
experience or
heritage tool
Daniel Pletinckx
Visual Dimension bvba

2. Visual Dimension bvba
• Active in digital heritage and architecture
• Created in 2003 (Ename, Belgium)
• Active on European scale as innovation company
• Active in commercial & European projects

3. Ir. Daniel Pletinckx
https://be.linkedin.com/in/danielpletinckx
• Civil engineer ICT & Communication Technology
• Active in digital heritage since 1997
• Awards
• Flemish Monument Award 1998
• VGI ICT Innovation Award 2004
• Tartessos Award 2009 for
virtual archaeology (Sevilla)
• Heritage in Motion 2016
(2nd in games & interactives)

4. 3D Digital and Virtual museums
• What does 3D offers to museums?
– Digitise existing buildings and objects
– Recreate and visualise the past (monuments, sites, landscapes)
– Digitally restore museum objects
– Explore virtual spaces
– See evolution in time until today
– Digital repatriation
– Connect with powerful interactive storytelling
• Wide use of 3D technology
• TimeMachine approach

5. http://ameliaknowlson.com/
Too much focus on 3D digitisation

6. 3D virtual reconstruction
• Only a very small part of the past is preserved
– Many materials perish => iconography, texts from digital libraries
– Many objects were recycled => modelling
– Damage to objects => digital restoration
– Many techniques and details are lost => experimental archaeology
– Intangible heritage => storytelling
• Monuments & landscapes are essential part of
digital & virtual museums
• Provide context of museum objects
• Provide a visual reference framework for 2 people out of 3
• Very multi-disciplinary approach

7. Roman barrel (UK)
Perishable materials

8. Rogier Van Der Weyden
Iconography

9. 3D model of Edison’s first light bulb without and with materials
Materials in 3D modelling

10. Physically Based Rendering (https://sketchfab.com/features/pbr)
Materials - PBR

11. 3D model contains separate parts for assigning materials, animation, …
Structure - HBIM

12. Ename (Belgium) - 4D reconstruction
Archaeological site of Ename, Belgium

13. Ename – 30 years of archaeology
Archeologische opgravingen (1985) – abdij van Ename

14. Ename – archaeological park
Archeologisch park (2018) – abdij van Ename

15. Ename 1015
4D visualisation of evolution of the Ename trade settlement (1015)

16. Ename 1065
4D visualisation of evolution of the Ename abbey site (1065)

17. Ename 1085
4D visualisation of evolution of the Ename abbey site (1085)

18. Ename 1150
4D visualisation of evolution of the Ename abbey site (1150)

19. Ename 1300
4D visualisation of evolution of the Ename abbey site (1300)

20. Ename 1500
4D visualisation of evolution of the Ename abbey site (1500)

21. Ename 1595
4D visualisation of evolution of the Ename abbey site (1595)

22. Ename 1665
4D visualisation of evolution of the Ename abbey site (1665)

23. Ename 1730
4D visualisation of evolution of the Ename abbey site (1730)

24. Workflow of landscape simulation
Terrain with procedural textures and height maps but without vegetation (Vue)

25. Workflow of landscape simulation
Terrain with water and vegetation after population (Vue)

26. Workflow of landscape simulation
Terrain with vegetation, buildings and (animated) objects (Vue)

27. Ename 1015
Reconstruction of Ename 1015 trade settlement
http://www.visualdimension.be/europeana/settlement/3d/objectvr/ename_portus_1015_OVR.html

28. Ename 1015
Reconstruction of Ename in 1015, market place and Saint Salvator church

29. Ename 1015
Reconstruction of Ename harbour in 1015, with the “Utrecht” proto-hulk in the foreground

30. Ename 1015
Reconstruction of Ename in 1020, harbour and castrum, with proto-cog in foreground
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_bXEJH5upY

31. Leeuwergem 1640
Real-time reconstruction of the castle of Leeuwergem in 1640

32. Leeuwergem 1640
Real-time reconstruction of the castle of Leeuwergem in 1640

33. Leeuwergem 1640
Real-time reconstruction of the castle of Leeuwergem in 1640

34. Leeuwergem 1640
Real-time reconstruction of the castle of Leeuwergem in 1640
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ejCoI3RpFA)

35. The abbey interior in 1290
Ename abbey in 1290 – real time implementation – cloister
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rb41jKX9Cac)

36. The abbey interior in 1290
Ename abbey in 1290 – chapter room – original capital identified recently

37. Historical parks - Guédelon
Experimental history & archaeology – 13th century – France

38. Historical parks - Guédelon
Experimental history & archaeology (https://www.guedelon.fr/en/)

39. The abbey interior in 1290
Ename scriptorium in 1290 – based on archaeology, functional analysis and iconography

40. The abbey interior in 1290
Ename scriptorium in 1290 – digital restoration of existing pages

41. The abbey interior in 1290
Ename library in 1290 – based on research about the library and the abbey structure

42. The abbey interior in 1290
Ename abbey in 1290 – digital relocation of book from Leiden University

43. Digital restoration
Crosier of Ename – Flemish Masterpiece – excavated

44. Digital restoration
Crosier of Ename – 3D laser scan with a 0,05 mm resolution

45. Digital restoration
Crosier of Ename – closeup photography (including photostacking, …)

46. Digital restoration
Crosier of Ename – photostacking result

47. Digital restoration
Crosier of Ename – extensive study of objects and miniatures from the 12th-13th century

48. Digital restoration
Crosier of Ename – digital restoration of the object (around 1175)

49. Digital restoration
Crosier of Ename – digital restoration of the object (around 1175)

50. Digital restoration
Crosier of Ename – digital restoration of the original form of the object (1175)
https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/2d3500a046484714af9b5c533adcd7c5

51. Digital restoration
Crosier of Ename – digital restoration of the repaired state (1180-1390)
(https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/686f6e1d7970469fb446f33991f89b24)

52. Digital restoration
Crosier of Ename – Flemish Masterpiece – integrated in game
https://enameabbey.wordpress.com/eham-1291-game/

53. Digital restoration
Crosier of Ename – digital restoration of the object (3D print in polyamide)

54. Digital restoration
Ename abbey in 1290 – educational game – recontextualisation of museum objects

55. Digital restoration
Interactive visualisation of digital restoration & interpretation

56. Digital restoration
Interactive visualisation of digital restoration & interpretation
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUfg5OqQ_0w)

57. TimeLine (Ename museum) with touchscreen interface
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6KiISEH7fY)
Interaction

58. Westfries Museum, Hoorn
Interaction

59. Westfries Museum, Hoorn
Interaction

60. Batavia 1627 - Westfries Museum, Hoorn
Interaction

61. Westfries Museum, Hoorn
Interaction

62. Architectural visualisation by Soluis Group
GroupVR

63. Architectural visualisation by Soluis Group
GroupVR

64. GroupVR
3D virtual reconstruction for guides (https://thegreatwaratraversyde.wordpress.com/)

65. GroupVR
Ename 1290 game (Kinect) in action in the Ename Heritage Centre
https://enameabbey.wordpress.com/1290-game/
https://enameabbey.wordpress.com/timegate/

66. Archives come alive
Eham 1291 – educational game – Veil Rentier (Flemish Masterpiece) in context

67. Archives come alive
https://enameabbey.wordpress.com/2017/08/09/interactive-access-to-digital-archives/

68. Archives come alive
Eham 1291 – watermill depicted in the Veil Rentier (KBR, Ms. 1175, f. 98v)

69. Archives come alive
Eham 1291 – iconography – watermill (Ms. Bodl. 764 f. 44r – 1225-1250)

70. Interactive medieval watermill
INRAP excavation (https://www.inrap.fr/sites/inrap.fr/files/atoms/files/thervay.pdf)

71. Archives come alive
Eham 1291 – experimental archaeology – Guédelon – watermill (http://www.guedelon.fr/)

72. Interactive medieval watermill
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k26Ammqqk1M

73. Interactive medieval watermill
Rijksmuseum + Europeana (https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/collection/RP-T-1889-A-1954)

74. Interactive medieval watermill
https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/animated-medieval-watermill-
d0b9ec06669a430fb972ef35a425f5c8

75. Object with a story (intangible heritage)
Pass glass Rijksmuseum (https://www.europeana.eu/portal/nl/record/90402/BK_NM_705.html)

76. Object with a story (intangible heritage)
Pass glass (https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/pass-glass-2nd-half-17th-century-
102f0b69974143148850a4a3b53845da)

77. Object with a story (intangible heritage)
Rijksmuseum + Europeana (https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/collection/SK-A-2568)

78. Object with a story (intangible heritage)
Rijksmuseum + Europeana (https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/collection/SK-A-2568)

79. Object with a story (intangible heritage)
Rijksmuseum + Europeana (https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/collection/SK-A-3297)

80. Object with a story (intangible heritage)
The Swann Inn of Ename in 1666
(https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/731e5a85379a40f1b1797ac43640da2a)

81. Object with a story (intangible heritage)
The Swann inn of Ename in 1666 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tM29hGycE-w)

82. The Ename carillon (intangible heritage)
Guest quarters of the Ename abbey around 1665 with carillon tower

83. The Ename carillon (intangible heritage)
https://enameabbey.wordpress.com/2019/06/20/the-world-of-abbot-de-loose/

84. The Ename carillon (intangible heritage)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hFEgJwR51c

85. The Ename carillon (intangible heritage)
Structure and keyboard of the Ename carillon tower - WIP

86. The Ename carillon (intangible heritage)
Clockwork and automat of Brielle, Netherlands (RCE)

87. The Ename carillon (intangible heritage)
About 150 documents are preserved (City of Amsterdam Archive) about the Ename carillon

88. The Ename carillon (intangible heritage)
Carillon play is Intangible World Heritage since 2014 (virtual carillon on March 21, 2020)

89. Virtual reconstruction
• Is a scientific and curatorial process
• Is highly multidisciplinary (input from experts)
• Can be integrated at low cost in museums
• Can be re-used in many ways (online, 3D printing)
• Storytelling tool – story is crucial
• As virtual guiding system or game
• As touchscreen application or online (https://share3d.eu)
• Sketchfab as online 3D engine/repository
(https://sketchfab.com/visualdimension/models)
• Euopean TimeMachine initiative
(https://www.timemachine.eu)

90. You can do this too!
• 3D virtual reconstruction ≠ fiction
• 3D virtual reconstruction = collaboration
• 3D virtual reconstruction = heritage
• A new generation of 3D professionals helps you
• Many training sessions and guidelines to come
• Correctly reconstructed assets available in the
Sketchfab Asset Store
• Provide us your email, we’ll send you this
presentation
• … and keep you informed on new events

91. Experience or heritage tool?
• It’s both !!!
• It’s research, preservation, documentation
• …and great visualisation/interaction
• But we need to maintain the highest quality
of our virtual reconstructions
• …and preserve them on the long term
• …otherwise it’s not cultural heritage!

92. Questions?
heritage@visualdimension.be
http://heritage.visualdimension.be/