Conservation planners: lets use 3D information systems to manage and protect heritage places

Santana Quintero, M. R. Lemaire International Centre for Conservation (University of Leuven), University College St Lieven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 1, B3001 Heverlee, Belgium

Keywords: heritage, conservation, architecture, information systems,

Abstract: virtualized three-dimensional reconstructions have been widely used for the interpretation and presentation of heritage places. However, in comparison, very little relevant work has been developed in the use of three-dimensional information platforms for management of heritage resource. This paper provides an overview of opportunities and challenges that the application three-dimensional recording and information systems for better understanding, protection, and conservation of heritage places. It emphasizing in the use of an appropriate visualization of the state of conservation (or ‘as is’ condition) of the fabric of these places, as well, as identifying and underlying underlining the multidisciplinary sources of information needed to understand, monitor and protect these important remaining of the past.

Introduction

The unique and irreplaceable value of heritage places haslong been recognized. Similarly, the need for accurate anddetailed information about heritage for its conservationand management is well understood.

The growth of the field of conservation has brought with it vast quantities of heritage information, from scientific records, to historical studies, surveys, inventories, photographs, maps, and field documentation. Once laboriously collected by hand and recorded on paper, this information is today increasingly gathered, organized, and archived digitally. Today it plays a vital role in defining a heritage place’s significance, integrity, extent, and threats, and is crucial to understanding, protection, and management. Unfortunately, most of the spatial systems are based on two-dimensional representations.

Figure 1: examples of 3D representations of heritage places, top left: mesh of a historic vault and sections for the study of structural behavior, right: scanning of the West Buddha remains in Bamiyan (courtesy of RWTH Aachen), and bottom left: three-dimensional model of a column at Gebel Barkal in Sudan prepared with the 3D Arcweb service.

The use of three-dimensional visualizations is restricted to interpretation and presentations of properties, providing the general public a tool to understand the values and phases of construction of a site.

On the contrary, in other fields of study, three-dimensional information systems are increasingly use for design, study and monitoring of the built environment; as well as, for protection environment sites.

Heritage conservation: information needs

‘The world’s cultural heritage is at risk-from climate change, natural disasters, inadequate conservation, tourism, armed conflicts and simple neglect’ (Addison, 2008).

Heritage information plays an essential role in the adequate preparation, implementation and monitoring of conservation strategies. Good decisions in conservation are based on timely, relevant and sufficient information. For this reason, the acquisition and management of information is important for the understanding of cultural heritage.

The ‘Concepts Essential to Successful Architectural Conservation’ compiled by Stubs (Stubs, 2009, p. 141) suggest that ‘documentation of ‘as found’ conditions, the history of the resource, and the conservation process being utilized’ for the process of conservation. Therefore, a heritage information system should aimed at:

  • Provide reliable knowledge that permits the advance of understanding of the cultural heritage, its significant and integrity;
  • Promote the interest and involvement of the people in the preservation of the heritage through the dissemination of acquired information;
  • Permit informed decision for management and preventive actionsprolonging the integrity of heritage places;
  • Other decisions for the correct management of the property, not discussed in this paper.

Baseline definition: monitoring change

Identification and therefore monitoring of factors threatening heritage place’s integrity is carried out by compiling a “baseline set of information”that can be used as starting and “point of reference” to identifyproblems and subsequently to design and implementa monitoring and preventive maintenance strategy for immediate and/or long-term actions.

The effectivenessin detecting changes affecting the statement of significance[1] of the heritage place will evidence the degree of information used to define the baseline.

The following aspects are provided to illustrate the information needed for defining a baseline:

Figure 2: site baseline components, author.

  • Spatial situation: location, shape and extend of the property (centroid, boundaries, features and buffer zone);
  • Significance and integrity of the property;
  • Understanding of the relative chronology of the property, this includes identification of phase of construction, modifications, demolition, etc;
  • Risk mapping: identification and visualization of the degree of threats and hazards potential affecting the integrity of the property;
  • Administrative and management issues: understanding of current legal framework, managements and account of actions;
  • Condition assessment: identification of weathering forms affecting the integrity of the fabric and construction materials;
  • Other assessments.

A baseline is defined by both a site report and a dossier of measured representations that could include a site plan, emplacement plan, plans of features, sections, elevations, three-dimensional models, etc.

In order to identify the extend of field recording necessary, it is important to prepare a documentary research to review and identify gaps in the existing information (documentation) on the site. This first assessment will allow estimate the degree of additional recording work required to prepare an adequate set of documents to mapped indicators.

Additionally, heritage planners make use of defining indicators or parameters that allow to rapidly identifying the degree that the site baseline condition is evolving positively or negatively.

In most cases a detailed recording of the site is not possible because of technical and/or financial constraints, therefore the identification of indicators throughout the study of threats to the heritage place is very effective.

The indicators or parameters can be detected by studying the following issues as depicted by UNESCO’s World Heritage Operational Guidelines:

  • Development Pressures;
  • Environmental Pressures;
  • Natural Disasters and Preparedness;
  • Visitor/tourism Pressures;
  • Number of inhabitants within property, buffer zone;
  • Threat of armed-conflict.

The evaluation of these threats will provide a number of indicators allowing defining the information heritage needs for this particular heritage place.

These indicators can be used for ensuring a monitoring system, where a heritage information system will play a crucial role to record information about these indicators.

Competences for the development of heritage information systems

Although most ‘heritage information systems’ several user profiles are defined, the following `heritage competences’ are presented as essential for the development of these systems for conservation:

  • Information-user:
  • Heritage conservation planners: individuals and organizations with a mandate and expertise in making decision about mitigations to prolong the significance and integrity of heritage places. This experts can be managers, restorers, monument watchers, historians, archaeologists, engineers, and other involves in heritage conservation;
  • Information providers:
  • 3D digital heritage experts: individuals and organizations with appropriate expertise in the use of digital recording, documentation and modelling tools for collecting information of heritage places;
  • Information system developers: individuals and organizations with competence in the design and implementation of information systems to manage aspects of the built environment.

3d challenges

The following challenges are provided to guide the design and implementation of 3D heritage information systems:

  • Baseline definition, sufficient information is needed to understand the ‘as found’ state-of-conservation of heritage places, this involves multidisciplinary sources of information;
  • Sufficient indicators providing accurate information of the decay and affectation of the integrity of the heritage place should be identified, pretending to have a complete set of information about a heritage place is complex and expensive, a heritage information system should be selective and effective;
  • The time to monitor indicators and parameters is long; a heritage information system should be sustainable and upgradeable;
  • Heritage places have different scales, this requires different level of detail approach, a property could consist of a city, building and/or archaeological site.

Further research

The application of information systems with the capacity to store, manage and disseminate using a three-dimensional spatial platform in using a multi faceted levels of details, from regional to building scale seems at this stage difficult, applied research should concentrate in the management of large sets of information, containing historic, condition, and values cantered sources to provide relevant and sufficient information in conservation planning. The following aspects summarize potential areas of exploration:

  • Management of large sets of data with different levels of detailed;
  • Three-dimensional condition assessment, mapping weathering forms and irregularities in the historic place’s fabric directly into a 3D platform;
  • Image-based mapping and colour calibration for better understanding of the historic place’s fabric.

Closing remarks

Any information gathered should ensure timely, sufficient and relevant information in conservation planning to:

  • Ensure a global approach
  • Understand threats;
  • Monitor and detect changes;
  • Re-evaluate significance and its relation with integrity;
  • Record interventions, manage and plan ahead.

Is this currently possible in 3D, development in computer graphics and surveying might currently give good applications for visualization of realistic 3D built environment, but are there any relevant application that can be used in conservation planning.

References

Addison, A. ‘A Record for Posterity’, Eppich, E. Chabbi, A. ed. Illustrated Examples Recording, Documentation, and Information Management for the Conservation of Heritage Places, The Getty Conservation Institute, 2007 J. Paul Getty Trust

Demas, M. ‘Site unseen’: the case for reburial of archaeological sites’, Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites (2004), Vol. 6, pages 137-154.

Letellier, R. Schmid, W. LeBlanc, F. Guiding Principles Recording, Documentation, and Information Management for the Conservation of Heritage Places, Getty Conservation Institute, 2007 J. Paul Getty Trust

Eppich, E. Chabbi, A. ed. Illustrated Examples Recording, Documentation, and Information Management for the Conservation of Heritage Places, The Getty Conservation Institute, 2007 J. Paul Getty Trust

ICOMOS Australia

ICOMOS ‘Principles for the Recording of Monuments, Groups of Buildings and Sites’ (accessed: 15/11/2008)

ICOMOS ‘Venice Charter’, (accessed: 15/11/2008)

Parks Canada Periodic Report on the Application of the World Heritage Convention (Last reviewed 19/06/2008)

RecorDIM initiative, and (accessed: 15/11/2008)

Santana Quintero, M., The Use of Three-dimensional Documentation and Dissemination Techniques in Studying Built Heritage, R. Lemaire International Centre for Conservation (KU Leuven), Leuven , 2003.

Stubs, J.H. ‘Time Honored: a global view of architectural Conservation’ Wiley, New York, 2009.

UNESCO’s World Heritage Convention, (accessed: 15/09/2009)

[1]Statement of Significance – a statement that clearly and concisely sets out the significant heritage values of a place, based on the criteria set out in the Burra Charter.

Cultural Heritage Significance – aesthetic, spiritual, historic, scientific or social value for past, present or future generations. (accessed: 24/09/2009)