Computer Graphics: Assistance for Archaeological Hypotheses (1998)

abstract⁄This paper is a contribution to the domain of computer toolsfor architectural and archeological restitution of ancient buildings.We describe an application of these tools to the modeling of the14th century AD. Thermae of Constantin in Arles, south of France.It was a diploma project in School of Architecture of MarseilleLuminy, and took place in a context defined in the EuropeanARELATE project. The general objective of this project is to emphasize the archeological and architectural heritage of the city ofArles it aims, in particular, to equip the museum of ancient Arleswith a computer tool enabling the storage and consultation ofarchaeological archives, the communication of information andexchange by specialized networks, and the creation of a virtualmuseum allowing a redescription of the monuments and a ‘virtual’ visit of ancient Arles.Our approach involves a multidisciplinary approach, calling on architecture, archeology and computer science. Thearcheologist’s work is to collect information and interpret it this isthe starting point of the architect’s work who, using these elements, suggests an architectural reconstruction. This synthesis contains the functioning analysis of the structure and building. Thepotential provided by the computer as a tool in this case, thePOVRay software with access to several threedimensional visualizations, according to hypotheses formulated by the architectand archaeologists, necessitates the use of evolutive models which,thanks to the parametrization of dimensions of a building and itselements, can be adapted to all the changes desired by thearchitect.The specific contribution of POVRay in architectural reconstruction of thermae finds its expression in four forms of this modeling program, which correspond to the objectives set by the architect in agreement with archeologists a The parametrization ofdimensions, which contributes significantly in simplifying thereintervention process of the architectural data base b Hierarchy and links between variables, allowing ‘grouped’ modifications of modelized elements in order to preserve the consistencyof the architectural building’s morphology c The levels of modeling with or without facing, for example, which admit of theexploration of all structural and architectural trails relationship formfunction and, d The ‘modeltype,’ facilitating the setting up ofhypotheses by simple scaling and transformation of these modelse.g., roofing models on an already modelled structure.The methodological validation of this modeling software’sparticular use in architectural formulation of hypotheses shows thatthe software is the principal graphical medium of discussion between architect and archaeologist, thus confirming the hypotheses formulated at the beginning of this project.