The aim of this project is to spatially reconstruct an exceptional architectural source from early modern Portugal called the Livro das Fortalezas (Book of Fortresses). This bound volume was created by a Portuguese squire named Duarte de Armas in 1510. It includes a folio of perspective drawings from two vantage-points of over 50 castles on the border between the kingdoms of Portugal and Spain and a second folio of measured plans for each site. With the assistance of student researchers, the book will be reconstructed as a data-rich, three-dimensional map. Sub-projects will include 3D models of the fortresses based on Duarte de Armas’ plans and drawings, a database identifying architectural features and scenes from daily life in the drawings, and GIS layers designed to study how the castles formed a fortified chain on the border with Spain. Future plans include a photogrammetric analysis of the sites in order to determine with greater precision where Duarte de Armas had to be standing when he drew the perspectival drawings, how accurate he was in terms of perspective, scale and detail, and how these castles and towns have changed since 1510. Led by Edward Triplett.
This project is in collaboration with Wired! at Duke University.
See more at http://www.bookoffortresses.org/.
Project History
Student researchers began working on the following aspects of the project in Fall 2017:
- 3D reconstructions of the castles according to Duarte de Armas’ perspective drawings and measured plans
- Categorization and tagging of architectural features and images of daily life in each of the 160+ drawings into a cloud-based spatial database
- GIS analysis from data marking the location of each fortress (ex: viewshed analysis and least-cost-path analysis.)
- Combining digitized images of the drawings and plans with GIS layers in a 3D GIS scene in ArcGIS Pro.
- Research into procedural modeling techniques to help place 3d buildings of walled towns surrounding the castles.
Future plans (Summer 2018) include a photogrammetric analysis of the sites in order to determine with greater precision where Duarte de Armas had to be standing when he drew the perspectival drawings, how accurate he was in terms of perspective, scale and detail, and how these castles and towns have changed since 1510.
More at http://www.bookoffortresses.org/about.
People Involved With The Project
- Edward Triplett, Instructor of Art, Art History & Visual Studies (Project Manager & Primary Investigator)
- Jocelyn Olson Triplett, Web Developer (Developer)