The use of Augmented Reality as a reconstruction tool in Building Archaeology. Developing interdisciplinary methods with Mixed Realities at the Roman world heritage sites of Trier.

• Applicant: Dr.-Ing. Clemens Brünenberg
• Subject Area: Architecture, Building and Construction History, Construction Research, Sustainable Building Technology
• Term: from 2019 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 432375836

In building archaeology, three-dimensional reconstruction models of lost building conditions are understood as heuristic tools. They are the media of certain visual ideas and contribute decisively to clarifying questions about e.g. interior design or constructive processes up to detailed solutions. The significance and value of these models in terms of content is closely related to the real object, but the actual modelling process is detached from it.With the help of the technical possibilities of Augmented Reality (AR), precisely this process of creating a reconstruction model is for the first time directly linked to the investigated object in this project and the reconstruction methodology is thus redefined. The immersive effect of augmented reality only, i.e. the superposition of real environment and virtual content, makes it possible to work on the reconstruction directly on the object in three levels of reality. Thus, the actually existing building stock (first level) is linked with the digitally captured building stock (second level) in order to build up the virtual reconstruction directly on the object (third level). For the first time, the actual modelling work takes place directly at the location of the building to be examined using AR smart glasses. An integral part of this innovative approach is the connection of all persons involved in the reconstruction process. A broad, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary discussion expands the disciplinary expertise; the results of this collaborative work are directly to be implemented in the reconstruction. The aim of the project is to develop a working tool for the methodical application of this new approach. The testing and development of the tool is carried out within the framework of this project using the example of the imperial baths of Barbara in Trier.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigators: Professor Dr.-Ing. Martin Kim; Professorin Dr. Franziska Lang