the project

European Architectural Cultural Heritage is immense. Yet part of this Heritage is invisible: churches, synagogues, mosques that have either been destroyed or never been built. Now the digital revolution offers possibility to bring these artefacts to a new life, through 3D reconstruction.
A new way of studying and representing the past has become increasingly important in the academic world and in the domain of digital entertainment (such as films and video games). This new way makes use of the so-called “virtual 3D reconstructions”, that is 3D models based on figurative and textual sources of artefacts that no longer exist or have never been built.
Today architects, art historians, restorers and archaeologists use this medium to study and represent the past. The large production of these studies and models has encouraged an international debate about the scientific reliability of these (re-)constructions. Two important theoretical guidelines have been drawn up in this regard: the London Charter (http://www.londoncharter.org/index.html) and the Seville Principles (http://sevilleprinciples.com/). These documents have fixed general guidelines on the scientific nature of Computer-based Visualisation of Architectural Cultural Heritage (CVCH) models. However, despite several studies which were dedicated to similar subjects, so far there are no shared standards or applied methods on this specific topic. There are European projects dedicated to the digital studies of CH as Horizon 2020 (i.e., Inception-project Horizon 2020 https://www.inception-project.eu/en), but not specifically dedicated to the topic of no longer existing/vanished/destroyed and unbuilt projects.
What are the specific needs we plan to address? Today it is not possible to distinguish a scientifically valid 3D virtual reconstruction from an amateur 3D model, because there are no reference standards.
The main objective is to define applicable/practice guidelines and operational methodologies aimed at the study, as well as the implementation, visualization (including access) and critical evaluation of the 3D models, in accordance with the Charter on the Preservation of Digital Heritage (UNESCO, 2003). The aim is to define a clear methodology for the creation and documentation of the CVCH model.
The CVCH model can be used as an instrument for scientific dissemination as well as a three-dimensional reference document for scholars of CH. For the latter objective, to build a valid CVCH model, it must be accompanied by all the methodologies and references used. All this material should be stored in the clearest and most transmissible/accessible way. To pursue transmissibility and transparency, the actors of this field should discuss and adopt shared standards at international level.
Which is the reason why this project has five universities and two companies from different countries as principal partners. The Institute of Architecture at the Hochschule Mainz is member in the Time Machine project (https://www.timemachine.eu/membership-overview/, and our actions are strictly connected to the FAIR data principles, see https://www.go-fair.org/fair-principles/).
In addition to scholars (architects, engineers, art historians, archaeologists, restorers), the project is also aimed at proactively involving associated partners (museums, municipalities, etc.) and the public.
Sensitizing the public to distinguishing accurate from inaccurate historical reconstructions has become critical nowadays because the gaming and film industry makes large use of 3D models. Movies and games have a huge impact on the collective imagination that is not comparable with text or academic lessons. It is important to provide tools and increase public awareness on the scientific nature of these “reconstructions”. This will contribute to increasing the knowledge of the European architectural heritage.

We want to support digital capabilities of the higher education sector and stimulate innovative learning and teaching practices.
For those reasons we would like to achieve the following specific goals:

– Define applicable standards (documentation) and methods and common language/understanding (glossary) for the construction/evaluation of 3D models CVCH (Computer-based Visualisation of Architectural Cultural Heritage)

– Create a Repository of 3D models of CH (infrastructure for applying the standards and methods)

– Disseminate the CoVHer ideas in the academic and public world of CH.

The main specific objective of the project is to define applicative/practical guidelines and operational methodologies aimed at the study, the implementation, the visualization (including access), and the critical evaluation of the 3D models of artefacts that no longer exist or have never been built, in accordance with the Charter on the Preservation of Digital Heritage (UNESCO, 2003). The aim is to define a clear methodology for the creation and documentation of the CVCH model.
The innovation of the proposed methodology lies in identifying practice guidelines and outlining the precise qualities that the 3D model must fulfil to reach scientific reference standards:

1) Constructive aspects: the geometry accuracy and qualification of the 3D models.

2) Traceability: use of sources, as well as documentation and quality of historical reconstruction.

3) Accessibility: compatibility with the publication on platforms/repositories. Interoperability: Data model exchange formats.

4) Visualization: graphic output to communicate scientific content throughout the 3D models.

To describe these qualities, a detailed reference Glossary will be written up. One of the critical issues of the current situation is the lack of a shared vocabulary referred to as hypothetical virtual 3D reconstruction.
Furthermore, a digital repository will be developed to enhance the transmissibility of these models. Currently, there are several internet platforms or projects (i.e., Inception-project Horizon 2020 https://www.inception-project.eu/en) with digital collections of the European architectural heritage. The innovation of our digital repository consists of being entirely dedicated to artefacts that have never been built or have been destroyed. The truly innovative and important aspect, compared to the existing platforms, will be how these three-dimensional models will be “presented” to experts and the public (Open Access). The goal is to create a digital 3D repository that can transmit, together with the finished product (3D model), also the essential information for the critical evaluation of the work. The platform, therefore, will have two different and complementary vocations. The first is being a reference place for scholars (architects, engineers, art historians, archaeologists, and other field experts) where they can share, download and study 3D reconstructions and the sources used to build them, with the emphasis on scientific correctness. The second is being a public repository accessible to laypersons (non-experts) and will contribute to the valorisation of the European architectural and cultural heritage.
Finally, the dissemination activity in the academic world and in the public world is an important goal of this project. The CoVHer project targets are the students and scholars of architecture, engineering, archaeology, restoration, history of art, professionals of CH and the public. Among the objectives is to create teaching modules of university courses dedicated exclusively to the virtual reconstructions of CH.
Raising awareness among the academic world and the public on the possibility of scientifically reconstructing the past, through virtual reconstructions, is a way to increase the cultural and social cohesion of European citizens.

The project was designed to develop and test the proposed methodology in different ways: Architectural Drawing Workshop (ADW) + Online Courses and OER + Innovative didactic modules.
The CoVHer project is based on a collaboration between partners from five different European countries (I, D, P, Po, S). This cooperation is partly guaranteed by the professionalism of the partners who have experience in international projects and collaborations.
The work will be divided into five phases accompanied by continuous monitoring of the activities, and collection of feedback for the improvement of the methodologies. For this reason, all partners will actively participate in all phases of the project.
The five phases are: a preparatory phase; three design phases (defining and testing the method) and a final stage to ensure sustainability.

– The preparatory phase will consist of: Each partner responsible for a different PRs must draw up a report indicating the timing and methods used to carry out the activities reported. These five reports will be discussed and commented on in the first TM (M1) to be held in Mainz. In this phase some local stakeholders will be involved.

– The first design phase (MM 2-12) will involve the start of the design activities of all PRs. The PR01 will start at M2 till M36; the PR02 M3 to M30; the PR03 M3 to M36; the PR04 M5 to M36 (C1 for staff).
This first phase will conclude with the evaluation of the first ADW to be held in Porto (P). This workshop will allow us to test the methodologies and guidelines with students from five different countries.
The 3D models made in the second PR02 and in the first ADW will have to be implemented in the CoVHer platform (PR03). This will allow verification of compliance with (sought) standards and the usability of the Platform by non-expert users.

– The second design phase (MM 10-20) will consist in making improvements to the various PRs started according to the feedback and analyses collected. In this sense, the evaluation of students and stakeholders will be fundamental to understand the progress of the project, that is, the definition of shared and communicable standards and procedures.
This information will be used to prepare the second ADW (C3) to be held in Bologna (I, M19) and to prepare the online lessons and teaching modules (PR04).

– The third design phase (MM 21-32) will be dedicated to the creation of the Online Courses and to the Innovative Didactic Modules (PR04). The first OC entirely dedicated to 3D CVCH models of never built or destroyed architectures will be implemented. Furthermore, IDM will be created within the degree courses of the main partners.

– The final sustainability phase of the project (MM 33-36) will be dedicated largely to the dissemination and publication of the results achieved by the project. Communication and dissemination will start from the first day of the project and will continue throughout the whole project with various activities such as MEs and constant updating of the project website. In the final phase the Scientific Reference Glossary and the Manual Book with guidelines and methodologies / standards for the construction of CVCH 3D Models will be completed and published as a book (PR01). In addition, the partners will endeavour to support the CoVHer Platform Repository and the site with the EORs with a coordinated maintenance plan (PR03, PR04). The CoVHer platform will be the main means of publishing and transmitting the project results. PRs and Teaching and Learning activities will be accompanied throughout the project by five public Multiplier Events which will aim to disseminate and collect feedback from users outside the project: scholars from other universities, students, professionals in the sector (stakeholders) and ordinary citizens.

The project will contribute to improving digital capabilities of the higher education sector and stimulate innovative learning and teaching practices.
The principal project results are:

1) Methodologies/guidelines –Cooperation processes and methodologies to outline operating standards for Generating Computer-based Visualisation of Cultural Heritage (CVCH);

2) 3D models Computer-based Visualisation of Cultural Heritage CVCH;

3) CoVHer Platform Website as a Repository Open Access for Scientific 3D Models of Cultural Heritage (CH);

4) CoVHer Open Educational Resources – Innovative Didattic Modules.

The CoVher will develop new methodologies/guidelines and innovative digital practice through the connection between research and innovation/innovative teaching. The project will only deal with architectures of the CH that no longer exist or were never built. These projects constitute an advantage of the European CH perhaps even more important than the tangible one at least from a quantitative point of view.

The main objective of the CoVHER project is to define shared standards for the scientific construction/sourced-based 3D construction and qualitative evaluation of 3D CVCH models as digital research data in the light of Linked (Open) Data and FAIR-Principles (https://www.go-fair.org/fair-principles/).
As a project result, we foresee a guidebook for the construction and evaluations of 3D virtual reconstructions and a shared international glossary.

A CoVHer digital platform will be implemented, which is a repository/website that collects 3D CVCH. The innovation of the CoVHer platform is that it will be exclusively dedicated to architectures that have never been built or have been destroyed. The most innovative and important aspect, compared to the existing platforms, will concern how these three-dimensional models will be “presented” to the public of experts and non-experts (Open Access). The goal is to create a digital 3D repository that can transmit along with the finished product, that is the 3D model, also all the information essential for a critical evaluation of the work: the document sources; how these sources have been used (paradata); the technical nature of the three-dimensional model (polygonal, mathematical, or mixed); semantic study, if any, etc. This will be ensured by the development of a data model (graph database) according to the requirements of the Linked Open Data (setting our project in the context of Time Machine EU initiative).

In addition, the project will:

– build an international network of high-level qualifications for the teaching/learning, study, constructing, quality evaluation and visualization of the 3D model CVCH.

– tackle skills gaps regarding the study, quality evaluation, construction, and visualization of 3D digital models of CH, in line with the renewed EU agenda of Higher Education (2017).

– contribute to providing architects, historians of art/architecture and archaeologists with additional requirements for accessing the European market.

– contribute to establishing an international network and exchanges among scholars and students working on digital CH, using Innovative Didactic Module.

– involve, through the CoVHer Open Access platform (a repository of 3D models) and the online course, students and the public to make them more aware of the value and quality of the European Cultural Heritage thus enhancing the sense of belonging to a common European cultural identity.