Rapid and Reproducible Reconstruction of Ancient Architecture by Procedural Generation
Reconstructing the “Pavilion of the Rise of the Yuan Dynasty” in Karakorum, Mongolia
Keywords:
3D-reconstruction, reproducibility, procedural generation, Karakorum, MongoliaAbstract
This paper on Rapid and Reproducible Reconstruction of Ancient Architecture by Procedural Generation is about the reconstruction of the "Great Hall" of Karakorum as a 3D model. Since the “Great Hall” is an almost completely destroyed building, a possible reconstruction turns out to be quite difficult. The aim was therefore to develop a method with which existing research and theories as well as connections to other architectural styles can be incorporated into the reconstruction. Accordingly, many different variants come into question for a possible reconstruction. Therefore, it is important that hypotheses are not tested on the basis of a single reconstruction, but that it is possible to test several different hypotheses in a short time. Such a method can be created with the help of a procedural generation. In order to implement possible hypotheses as a 3D model with this method, it is important that the generation of the 3D model can be influenced with the help of changeable parameters. In the following the connections to the Chinese architecture are explained, as well as related works and theories are taken up, which pursued similar approaches and goals. Furthermore, the procedure of reconstruction is explained, and the method of procedural generation is illustrated by the creation of the so-called Puzuo system. Finally, a possible reconstruction of the "Great Hall" is presented, as well as the Blender panel created in the course of the work to determine the individual parameters.
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