(IN)TANGIBLE HERITAGE(S)
Abstract
Researchers of heritage sites often rely on secondary-source photographs, i.e., photographs that were originally produced in the absence of a specific research agenda. These may be historical photographs, contemporary tourist photographs, etc. Photomodeler (www.photomodeler.com) grants the ability to generate 3D digital models from collections of photographs. The software, however, has many limitations: for example, the program seeks to identify planar surfaces, ideally situated at 90 degrees to one another; its use is optimized using photographs of a known focal length. Few of these criteria are met in the authors’ collection of crowd-sourced images of the Hawa Mahal (Jaipur, India), and consequently, the resulting digital models produced by Photomodeler embody “incompleteness”. Yet, comparing these skewed representations gives meaning beyond simple dimensions to the building to which they refer. In taking the Hawa Mahal as a precedent, studies of incompleteness could be extended to all buildings. Ultimately, the idea of incompleteness reveals the underlying question: to what degree does a digital model’s significance to heritage study reside in its source material, in the process of its construction, and in its final form?
Mike Christenson is a Professor of Architecture at the University of Minnesota. He has published extensively in the areas of architectural representation, design technology, and the production and dissemination of architectural knowledge. He serves as the Director of the University of Minnesota’s Digital Design Center and as the Associate Editor for Architectural Computing for the journal Architectural Science Review. Christenson’s professional work includes experience at Minneapolis-based Alliance on teams in collaboration with Jean Nouvel on the design of the Guthrie Theater on the River and in collaboration with Cesar Pelli on the design of the Minneapolis Central Library. Together with Malini Srivastava, he is a Principal Architect in the award-winning architectural firm Design and Energy Laboratory, LLC. Christenson’s ongoing research in representation, and his experience in the professional practice of architecture, continually inform his teaching in areas of design fundamentals, digital technologies, and comprehensive design.
Andrew Runde is a fourth-year Undergraduate Honors student of Architecture at the University of Minnesota. He has received research scholarships for participating in two design-research projects with Mike Christenson through the University Research Opportunities Program. Other extracurricular involvements and passions include taking part in the Museum Outdoor Arts design competition, becoming an accredited LEED Green Associate and member of AIAS, and interning with the University’s FM Design team. Important issues like population growth, climate change and the shift to working from the home influence his coursework and will continue to facilitate future designs – particularly in the field of residential design.
1:45 pm - 3:15 pm
Wednesday 15th June, 2022