Digital Heritage Lab: Applied technologies for cultural heritage documentation

Course Description

Welcome to the Digital Heritage Lab! This course offers a hands-on and engaging experience that bridges the gap between our rich cultural heritage and the frontiers of digital innovation.

Participants will step into the shoes of "curators of the future," learning cutting-edge methodologies for measuring, documenting, and enhancing Cultural Heritage.

The educational objectives of the course are:

• Understanding the transformative impact of digital technologies in the field of Cultural Heritage.
• Acquisire conoscenze teoriche sulle tecniche di rilievo più moderne.
• Develop practical skills in using specific tools and software.
• Carry out a concrete digital survey project, from measuring an object to creating its digital copy.

The Digital Heritage Lab offers a unique opportunity for young people to immerse themselves, through a hands-on approach, in the world of digitalizing Cultural Heritage, with potential applications in architecture, infrastructure, and industry. This highly topical topic is ideal for those who want to combine a passion for Cultural Heritage with an interest in technology and applied sciences.

Course topics

The Digital Heritage Lab offers a week of thematic modules that combine morning lectures with practical activities in the afternoon. Each morning, participants will learn traditional methods of cultural heritage documentation—such as photography—and receive an introduction to modern technologies such as 3D scanners (including terrestrial laser scanners and mobile mapping systems) and photogrammetric techniques.

The afternoons are dedicated to the practical use of this equipment. Students, working in small groups, will perform digitization exercises with the goal of digitally capturing an entire building.

• Mobile Mapping Tips: Mobile mapping is a cutting-edge technique for digitizing large architectural areas. Although still not widely used, it allows for centimeter-level measurements while moving through spaces.
• Mobile Mapping Tips: Mobile mapping is a cutting-edge technique for digitizing large architectural areas. Although still not widely used, it allows for centimeter-level measurements while moving through spaces.
• Photogrammetry: This technique allows you to create digital 3D models from images, making it the most flexible and effective digitization method available.
• Photogrammetry: This technique allows you to create digital 3D models from images, making it the most flexible and effective digitization method available.

A visit to the Milan Cathedral is planned to experience a small digitization project and understand the potential of modern equipment applied to a real-world case. On the afternoon of the final day, the groups will present the results of their activities.