Unfolding geometry from unity: Digital survey and 3D modeling of islamic decorative apparatus in generalife palace, Alhambra

Abstract

Traditional Arabic ornaments highlight their complexity of graphic drawing through two-dimensional geometric matrices, based on elementary forms and regular polygons, with developments and hybridizations of ornamental motifs, calligraphic inscriptions and naturalistic symbols. The excellence achieved by Moorish civilization is Spain distinguishes Andalusia for valuable decorative apparatuses within architectural environments, among which court halls and private rooms of Alhambra complex in Granada, where many researches and studies on shapes and geometries were developed. The presented research contributes to the investigation on geometric decorative apparatuses of Alhambra, in relation to the experimentation of 3D documentation and representation systems for the analysis and cataloguing of geometric patterns, within a joint multi-year research project on Alhambra complex between University of Pavia and University of Granada (scientific directors: prof. S. Parrinello, prof. A. Gómez-Blanco Pontes), applied into Generalife Palace. Digital survey methodologies are applied on decorative surfaces, imposing an accurate scale of surface analysis; as 3D entities, the documentary approach is not limited to 2D survey but developed within virtual models of patterns through polygonal surfaces obtained from Range-based and Image-based surveys. The experimentation of virtual reconstructions of ornamental bas-reliefs allows the comparison between ideal models, obtained with parametric surfaces from geometric matrix, and real prototypes, from triangulation of measured points, evaluating complexity of geometric surfaces represented by multiple levels of shapes. The research, began in 2017 and currently on course, aims to extend the survey to the entire monumental complex of Alhambra palace.