Enhancing Engagement with 3D Heritage Data through Semantic Annotation
Lead Research Organisation:
Glasgow School of Art
Department Name: Digital Design Studio
Abstract
The 1938 British Empire Exhibition was a stunning display of architectural achievement and a reflection of the life and culture of Glasgow, the UK and the Commonwealth. It incorporated over 100 innovative buildings, including the world famous Tait's Tower and attracted over 12.5million people to Bellahouston Park, Glasgow over its six month run. This last public showcase of the Empire was of huge international significance and continues to be relevant to the study of British social and industrial history and modernist architecture. In 2006, Glasgow School of Art's Digital Design Studio ran the AHRC-funded 'British Empire Exhibition, Glasgow 1938' project which consulted as many sources and individuals as possible in order to build an accurate 3D digital model from which the planning of the Exhibition and its architectural style can be examined. 104 individual photo-real buildings and features were reconstructed together with an accurate 3D map showing the relationship of the buildings, pathways, and water features to the topography of Bellahouston Park. As part of this research, DDS collected and digitised a large archive of related cultural artefacts (architectural plans, photos, ephemera) and recorded interviews with people who had visited the Exhibition and architecture scholars. Limited resolution images, videos, and an overview of the 3D model with some interactivity are available on the project website (http://www.empireexhibition1938.co.uk) and higher resolution versions along with some physical artefacts can be viewed at a special Interpretation Centre at House for an Art Lover (http://www.houseforanartlover.co.uk/news-and-events/news.asp?id=824).
The aim of this project is to improve interpretation of the Exhibition by linking, in a meaningful way, the related cultural artefacts on which the 3D model was based with the modelled data itself. For example, a photograph of a building could be linked to a virtual representation of that building as well as the position from which the photograph was taken. The photograph itself and its relationships will be visualised from within the 3D environment. Other pieces of information, for example comments by architecture experts or video interviews with visitors, will also be linked to relevant features within the 3D model. Researchers and members of the public will then be able to view and interact with the model, either in true, full-scale 3D at the DDS visualisation laboratory in Glasgow, or through an application downloaded to their own computers. DDS will run 'tours' where members of the public can visit not only the digital reconstruction of Bellahouston Park as it was, but also see our state-of-the-art visualisation facility. Researchers will be able to access and contribute to the data and annotations through future partnerships with DDS.
In order to achieve this linkage between the 3D data and related information, this project will develop and test a tool which allows users to 'annotate' the data, and attach those annotations (or files) to points of space within the virtual model, as well as adding relationships between different attached objects (for example, linking all the photographs taken by a particular photographer). This tool will be extensible so that other researchers can make use of it for other 3D datasets in other subject areas and facilities. This will allow both researchers and the general public to virtually experience and collaboratively annotate environments which are inaccessible either because they no longer exist (like the Empire Exhibition) or because they are too far away or dangerous to access.
The aim of this project is to improve interpretation of the Exhibition by linking, in a meaningful way, the related cultural artefacts on which the 3D model was based with the modelled data itself. For example, a photograph of a building could be linked to a virtual representation of that building as well as the position from which the photograph was taken. The photograph itself and its relationships will be visualised from within the 3D environment. Other pieces of information, for example comments by architecture experts or video interviews with visitors, will also be linked to relevant features within the 3D model. Researchers and members of the public will then be able to view and interact with the model, either in true, full-scale 3D at the DDS visualisation laboratory in Glasgow, or through an application downloaded to their own computers. DDS will run 'tours' where members of the public can visit not only the digital reconstruction of Bellahouston Park as it was, but also see our state-of-the-art visualisation facility. Researchers will be able to access and contribute to the data and annotations through future partnerships with DDS.
In order to achieve this linkage between the 3D data and related information, this project will develop and test a tool which allows users to 'annotate' the data, and attach those annotations (or files) to points of space within the virtual model, as well as adding relationships between different attached objects (for example, linking all the photographs taken by a particular photographer). This tool will be extensible so that other researchers can make use of it for other 3D datasets in other subject areas and facilities. This will allow both researchers and the general public to virtually experience and collaboratively annotate environments which are inaccessible either because they no longer exist (like the Empire Exhibition) or because they are too far away or dangerous to access.
Planned Impact
'The British Empire Exhibition, Glasgow 1938' project generated significant local and international media interest (e.g. from BBC, Evening Times, The Herald). It was followed up by a small grant under the Knowledge Catalyst Scheme: 'Marketing the 1938 British Empire Exhibition' (AID: AH/F500203/1) which increased exploitation of the research materials by developing a book, teaching materials, postcards and souvenirs for the BEE and delivering a well-attended conference on the previous project and its outputs.
Based on the considerable interest previously shown in the BEE project, we anticipate that widening access to this data both through public visits to Lab1 and releasing the data via download will generate a huge impact. This will reach beyond members of the public with a specific interest in the Exhibition or Glasgow's history and into general tourism. The unique 'virtual tours' of the BEE will be advertised via the Tourist Office and What's On guides and through national initiatives such as Doors Open Day (http://www.doorsopendays.org.uk). There will be a minimum of three events yearly, targeted at different groups (for example students, local history groups, or the general public) for example, the first three events might run on Doors Open Day, GSA's student open day, and the anniversary of the BEE's opening.) We anticipate these events will increase interest in the 3D model which will be made available for public download (along with semantically mapped related cultural material) via the Internet, but also increase usage of the existing resources available at House for an Art Lover's interpretation centre. This new mode of engaging with the BEE data will naturally be of considerable interest to the previous BEE project team and other architecture specialists across the UK.
As before, we anticipate considerable media interest in this work and the opportunities it provides. DDS has ongoing partnerships with BBC Scotland and SHED Media which could lead to further coverage and usage of this data. The project will be linked with other relevant DDS work such as the Glasgow Urban Model commissioned and managed by Glasgow City Council (http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Business/Planning_Development/Heritage_design/theurbanmodel.htm) and our work with Historic Scotland creating 3D models of world heritage sites (cf. http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/news/news_article.htm?articleid=24929) with the intention of raising public awareness of this work and the research it supports.
The project will also have a beneficial impact on public policy and activities related to conservation, from local to international level. Specialist conservation researchers and practitioners both within and outside heritage institutions who do not currently have access to analytical facilities to support decision-making will be able to work with DDS on future projects which require naturalistic visualisation and annotation technologies. Releasing the semantic annotation tool opens up the opportunities for engagement with the research - for example, whilst a local council might partner with DDS to work on the restoration of a specific monument (e.g. DDS work on Paisley Fountain: http://www.digitaldocumentation.co.uk/DD09/index.cfm#paisley), a well-funded museum could simply implement the software in their own facilities.
For more information see the attached Impact Plan. However, DDS is committed to maximum exploitation of both the enhanced data and the annotation tool across current and potential future partners in academia, the heritage sector, and industry.
Based on the considerable interest previously shown in the BEE project, we anticipate that widening access to this data both through public visits to Lab1 and releasing the data via download will generate a huge impact. This will reach beyond members of the public with a specific interest in the Exhibition or Glasgow's history and into general tourism. The unique 'virtual tours' of the BEE will be advertised via the Tourist Office and What's On guides and through national initiatives such as Doors Open Day (http://www.doorsopendays.org.uk). There will be a minimum of three events yearly, targeted at different groups (for example students, local history groups, or the general public) for example, the first three events might run on Doors Open Day, GSA's student open day, and the anniversary of the BEE's opening.) We anticipate these events will increase interest in the 3D model which will be made available for public download (along with semantically mapped related cultural material) via the Internet, but also increase usage of the existing resources available at House for an Art Lover's interpretation centre. This new mode of engaging with the BEE data will naturally be of considerable interest to the previous BEE project team and other architecture specialists across the UK.
As before, we anticipate considerable media interest in this work and the opportunities it provides. DDS has ongoing partnerships with BBC Scotland and SHED Media which could lead to further coverage and usage of this data. The project will be linked with other relevant DDS work such as the Glasgow Urban Model commissioned and managed by Glasgow City Council (http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Business/Planning_Development/Heritage_design/theurbanmodel.htm) and our work with Historic Scotland creating 3D models of world heritage sites (cf. http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/news/news_article.htm?articleid=24929) with the intention of raising public awareness of this work and the research it supports.
The project will also have a beneficial impact on public policy and activities related to conservation, from local to international level. Specialist conservation researchers and practitioners both within and outside heritage institutions who do not currently have access to analytical facilities to support decision-making will be able to work with DDS on future projects which require naturalistic visualisation and annotation technologies. Releasing the semantic annotation tool opens up the opportunities for engagement with the research - for example, whilst a local council might partner with DDS to work on the restoration of a specific monument (e.g. DDS work on Paisley Fountain: http://www.digitaldocumentation.co.uk/DD09/index.cfm#paisley), a well-funded museum could simply implement the software in their own facilities.
For more information see the attached Impact Plan. However, DDS is committed to maximum exploitation of both the enhanced data and the annotation tool across current and potential future partners in academia, the heritage sector, and industry.