Cadalyst - May 2008 - (Page 27)

casestudy By Gloria Goskie Reverse Engineering an Antique Italian Treasure An architecture student enlists reverse engineering to survey an historic synagogue and produce an accurate architectural model. or the Jews of Modena, Italy, the Modena Synagogue stands not only as a place of worship, but also as an elegant mix of classical and Venetian architecture and — most signiﬁcant — as a monument to freedom and equality. In 1859, Modena’s Jewish citizens regained the rights that had been taken away from them and their ancestors over the previous several centuries. Once free from the restrictions of the ghetto to which they had been conﬁned, they decided to build a synagogue where they could meet freely without harassment. Designed by Ludovico Maglietta, the new temple was ofﬁcially opened in 1873 (ﬁgure 1). Owned by the Israeli Community of Modena, the building was named an historical, artistic, and cultural site in 1975 by the Emilia Romagna Superintendency for Environmental and Architectural Heritage (figure 2). F The Project In fall 2007, under the guidance of the architecture faculty at the University of Parma, student Chiara Lodi undertook the challenge of surveying the synagogue and some of its architectural details. Her goal was to make accurate models of the structure for demonstration and educational purposes. Lodi used reverse-engineering (RE) and rapid-prototyping technologies because they enable the creation of a virtual and also a real gallery where sculptures and architectural details can be viewed in 3D (allowing rotations, zooming, and panoramic views). This was an important consideration because the synagogue is not open to the public. Visitors can enter only with permission. Having accurate models is the only way some elements can be studied, as in the case of the column capitals, which are 2 meters high. A virtual analysis of a scanned object showing its volume and dimensions allows multiple views and cross-sections to be created. Comparing different files of the same object obtained by measurements taken at different moments can help to verify the state of preservation of CRP Technology an asset and to www.crptechnology.com monitor damage Faro caused by exterwww.faro.com nal agents. May 2008 cadalyst www.cadalyst.com Figure 1. The Modena Synagogue displays examples of classical architecture as well as Hebraic symbols. Figure 2. An interior view of the synagogue. The Equipment Documenting the architectural detail required a range of the most basic to the most advanced equipment available. First, the team measured each physically accessible part of the monument with a simple measuring tape. Next, they photographed friezes, capitals, and other architectural elements 27 http://www.crptechnology.com http://www.faro.com http://www.cadalyst.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Cadalyst - May 2008

Cadalyst - May 2008 Contents Editor's Window Cad Central A Solid Job in AutoCAD Today’s Power — Quad-Core Workstations Performance — Tomorrow’s Possibilities Reverse Engineering an Antique Italian Treasure Trends in Reverse Engineering NextEngine 3D Scanner — Reverse-Engineering Tool Setting CAD Standards Fight for Your Hardware Rights The Jack and Jill of Ergonomics Technology for Civil Infrastructure Cad Cartoon Issue Indexes Shortcuts and Solutions

Cadalyst - May 2008

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