Page 158 - AC/E Digital Culture Annual Report

158(Castellón) that enjoyed unique importance as a territorial and religious centre for several cen- turies until it was con scated and sold in 1835, after which it fell into neglect. As a result, during the twentieth century the movable heritage of the whole complex soon became dispersed and subsequently fell into ruin. However, the Asocia- ción Cultural Cartuja de Valldecrist152 established in the 2000s has been attempting to restore this construction to its splendour by promoting and enhancing its six centuries of history. Recent re- search and archaeological restoration campaigns have gleaned important information about its art-historical past.An example of the e orts currently underway to enhance its value is the virtual recreation made by Bihartech,153 a Spanish company that uses the most cutting-edge technology in di erent elds, among them the culture sector.Taking as a basis the architectural remains in the current site and the above-mentioned informa- tion gleaned from the historical and archaeo- logical studies, it was possible to create a virtual reconstruction154 of the entrance courtyard of the charterhouse of Valldecrist as it was just before it was abandoned in the early nineteenth century.Although the project is still at the experimental stage, the possibilities of disseminating the research and of enhancing the value of the heritage site through these virtual reconstruc- tions make it worth considering developing an application for mobile devices such as smart- phones or tablets used by potential visitors to the Valldecrist complex.Muslim district of Sinhaya (Zaragoza)Some of the work related to cultural heritage has been developed at the Spanish company LSLuz,155 which o ers innovative solutions based on new technologies such as virtual recreations as powerful tools for showing elements of our past that have partly or totally disappeared.One such project was the virtual reconstruc- tion156 of the Muslim district of Sinhaya, which dates from the tenth to the eleventh centuries. This ancient district of Zaragoza appeared during the excavations carried out in 2001 beneath the Paseo de la Independencia to build an under- ground carpark. As it was impossible to leavethe nds on view, the morphology of the entire district was thoroughly documented by a group of archaeologists and historians who provided all the documentation needed for the work. First the existing parts were photogrammetrically modelled and then the visual reconstruction was designed with the idea of presenting it by means of an audiovisual aid showing the Muslim quarter with its original appearance. While the workwas being carried out, a 3D model was created of the district and of the interiors of a numberof homes, in which priority was given to a few elements based on the visualisation. Several lighting resources were applied virtually and images of real actors playing the part of people of the day were included in the scenes to o era more photorealistic image. The audiovisual aid also included an animation that simulated a stroll through the streets and homes, into which real actors were later incorporated, overlaying real images on the virtual model.Church of San Agustín de La Laguna (Tenerife)PAR - Tecnologías de Representación Gráfica del Patrimonio157 is a significant example of a Spanish company that uses new technologies for the graphic representation of heritage. Although it is particularly notable for its virtual archaeology projects and work on virtualising heritage, it also teaches online and face-to- face courses. The projects underway at PAR include infographics, 3D documentation, virtual reconstructions, virtual restoration,3D facial reconstructions, virtual visits and 3D printing.Some projects are particularly relevant to this study, such as the virtual reconstruction of2. DISSEMINATION, ENHANCEMENT AND EDUCATIONThe use of digital technologies in the conservation, analysis and dissemination of cultural heritage