Visualizing Venice: The Waters of Venice
June 1, 2012
The first edition of this summer workshop jointly promoted by Duke University, Iuav University of Venice and Venice International University was held at VIU from June 4 to June 16, 2012. The academic activities were coordinated by Prof. Mark Olson and Prof. Victoria Szabo from Duke and Prof. Girogio Gianighian from Iuav.
The aim of the workshop was to provide a thorough introduction to a series of digital tools for the analysis, interpretation and visualization of data related to the shaping of man-made space.
The following technologies were taught and used by students: 3D modeling using Google SketchUp, 3D acquisition using Photogrammetry, interactive mapping with Google Earth, Scalar, and the basics of ARCgis related to Google Earth. These 3D modeling, visualization, and mapping technologies enabled the students to engage with questions of change over time and dynamic process in urban and rural environments, showing how man-made spaces respond to social and economic process and transformation.
The program of the 2012 workshop focused on the example of data for the drinking water supply system of Venice, using this documentation to visualize how supply systems determine the shaping of urban space. The city of Venice thus became a laboratory for training with technology.
The workshop was addressed to Master’s- or Ph.D- level students in Interpretive Humanities (including Cultural Patrimony, History of Art, Architecture and Urbanism, History, Geography, Architecture, Archaeology, and other relevant disciplines). Fifteen students from all over the world were selected to participate in the workshop.
In ten days of intense work in the VIU Mac laboratory and site visits in the city, students obtained skills that permitted them to interpret, visualize, and communicate collaborative research projects. The four final projects were presented to a public of specialists and interested guests at the end of the workshop.