Cultural Heritage, Digital Archiving and Virtual Experiences: the work of ArCHIAM in Oman and India

Posted on: 3 November 2023 by Dr Giamila Quattrone in 2023 Posts

Dr Giamila Quattrone, Lecturer in Architecture and ArCHIAM Centre Co-Director, shares exciting updates on how the latest in digital and photogrammetry technology is bringing two projects, one in Oman and one in India, to life for researchers and the public, no matter where they are.

ArCHIAM, the Centre for the Study of Architecture and Cultural Heritage of India, Arabia and the Maghreb, is an interdisciplinary forum based at the University of Liverpool. Cutting across traditional disciplinary boundaries, the Centre studiesf both historical and contemporary phenomena with the aim of developing theoretical positions but also practice-based research.

ArCHIAM's recent digital heritage work demonstrates how open-access, cost-effective virtual experiences can help preserve heritage and culture, enhance access and support cultural tourism.

Harat al-Bilad, Manah: A Virtual Exhibition highlights the importance of this vernacular oasis town in Oman’s history, urban, architectural and artistic development, and unveils the interrelationships between built fabric, material culture and social history through a 3D exhibition, research posts, an English/Arabic film and a repository of photogrammetrically digitised artefacts.

Modernity, Nationhood and the Unconscious: Abanindranath Tagore and the Garden House in Konnagar is a combined location-based, AR and online, interactive 3D experience developed with CAVA and FeedAR in partnership with Konnagar Municipality, the Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata, and INTACH Hooghly Chapter, and supported by HEIF funding. The experience shows how the work of Abanindranath Tagore tackles ideas of modernity, nationhood and the unconscious depths of our mind, and explores the history, socio-cultural context and typo-morphological qualities of the house and its links with the artist’s work.

Explore more of ArCHIAM's work and projects here.