The reconstruction – argumentation method: Proposal for a minimum standard of documentation in the context of virtual reconstructions

Abstract

Virtual reconstructions exist for around 25 years. A documentation of the process of reconstructions was rarely made – a deficit from a scientific standpoint. One reason was that this was a relatively new discipline and there was a lack of agreement as to standards and methods. Another was that in many cases the client did not provide separate funds for a documentation and also did not require or request them. In the meantime, many involved parties have become aware of the problem of the lack of documentation and standards. Besides good scientific practice, also the guarantee to have access to knowledge embedded in reconstructions should be realized. However, up to now the proposals orientate themselves rather on extensive maximal solutions, often coupled with complex data bank applications, possibly also with annotations to 3D models, which in reality in most projects would present big challenges as far as usability and available resources are concerned. Thus it seemed more constructive to develop a minimal standard, which in practice would be manageable. The goal of the proposal presented is to compare images of the reconstruction with the sources and to link them to a written text (argumentation), which explains upon what basis, including sources, analogies etc. the reconstruction was made. The core is therefore the triad – “Reconstruction – Argumentation – Source”. In addition there exists the possibility to also depict variants for the different areas of a reconstructed building. The advantage of such a documentation method is that it would be theoretically useable for every kind of architectural reconstruction and thus also for haptic models, reconstruction drawings or actually built structures. The technical goal is a web-linked database that can serve as a platform for work, publication and discussion. The method can also be implemented as a simple text document with a series of images.