Use of Augmented Reality in the Preservation of Architectural Heritage: Case of the Aqueduct Kuru Kopru (Kayseri, Turkey)

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OKE A. G., KOZLU H. H., ÇORUH L.

ICONARP INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, cilt.9, sa.1, ss.110-130, 2021 (ESCI) identifier

Özet

Abstract

Purpose

The architectural preservation embeds all the activities dealing with the sustainability of the built heritage. The representation and diffusion of heritage take a core place in that process.  This  study  aims  at  the  diffusion  of  the  Aqueduct  Kuru  Kopru  towards  a  broad  public  audience,  establishment  of  the  awareness  that  Augmented Reality  (AR)  methods  can  be  used  for  the  evaluation  and  presentation  of  the  semi-collapsed  structures  and  serving  as  a  model  for  the  representation  and  diffusion of virtual reconstructions of Architectural Heritage (AH). 


Design/Methodology/Approach

This  work  refers  to  restoration  and  heritage  visualization  charters,  combines  Computer-Aided Design (CAD), photogrammetry survey method, and advanced texturing techniques to acquire and model virtual reconstructions of the Aqueduct Kuru Kopru from the Roman-Byzantine period to the year  2017.  The  paper  also  describes  the  frameworks  for  the  implementation  of  a  non-immersive and an immersive AR application to visualize modelled reconstructions. The method used consists of   three   main   stages:   modelling   of   the   virtual   reconstructions,   texturing   of   models,   and   development of AR applications.


Findings

This   study   establishes AR   and cultural   heritage   digitization   techniques   as   efficient   tools   to   represent  and  diffuse  the  Aqueduct  Kuru  Kopru.  It  engages  a  broad  public  audience  in  better comprehension and assessment of the aqueduct. Research Limitations/ImplicationsThe  fact  that  the  research  is  based  on  a  single  case  study  is  a  limitation  for  its  generalisation.  However,  the  case  examined  provides  a  basis  for  future  work  that  may  validate  its  findings  indifferent contexts.Originality/Value The  paper  proposes  the  rediscovering  of  long-abandoned  aqueduct  Kuru  Kopru  by  learning  its  spatio-temporal evolution through AR.  The developed methodology can be easily implemented and puts forward the use of low-cost materials.


Keywords: Architectural preservation, augmented reality, Kayseri Kuru Kopru, aqueducts