| Since computer reconstruction of ancient monuments is a relatively new field, many of its aspects and potentials have not yet been fully utilized or explored. This research will demonstrate that the usual emphases in computer reconstruction, such as data gathering and visual realism, both miss the essential fact that such reconstructions are, in the end, interpretive. It will also be shown that since the exact form and characteristics of now-destroyed monuments are often unknown, computer reconstructions can exploit a more open-ended set of educational, interpretive, interactive, theoretical, and analytical capacities, including revealing the uncertainties of the reconstruction itself.; My aim in this research is to explore the advantages and limitations of the application of computers for study and preservation through the partial virtual reconstruction of the Gothic Cistercian Abbey of Pilis, in Hungary, that was founded in 1184. Besides creating a computer model of the site and the structure, the capacities of the new medium as a tool for studying ancient monuments will be investigated, specifically in utilizing historical representational techniques. The approach will help in understanding the history of the monastery and provide an analysis of the significant forms and geometries of the building. Furthermore, issues arising from a theoretical consideration of this medium, such as the meaning of a "reconstructed reality," and the way our perceptions are affected by these media, will be discussed. These problems will be illustrated with three-dimensional models and images that are layered into the treatments of the monument itself. For example, possible alternatives for the reconstruction of the site will be developed and compared to each other. I will take advantage of graphic devices such as hiding certain elements, or transforming them into wire frame models, in order to analyze the inner structure of the abbey and to generate different interpretations of the computer-reconstructed edifice.; A series of images, animations and interactive slideshows are presented, portraying the monument in various interpretations, along with text and graphic segments illustrating the theoretical approach to the reconstruction. Through such techniques, audiences are drawn not merely to realistic forms of representation, or to final renderings of a single interpretation, but also to deeper analytical and educational content. As a prototype, "Virtual Pills" will contribute to the growing scholarship on "virtual heritage"; in particular its capacity to deliver content to audiences, rather than merely to present images, which is the norm. |
