Developing virtual environment for viewing urban spatial planning and constructional features of an urban heritage site - The case of Fatehpur Sikri, India

• Main Authors: Jahnkassim, Puteri Shireen, Ibrahim, Mansor, Denan, Zuraini, Eusuf, Muhammad Abu, Mahmud, Murni, Abu Bakar, Juliana Aida
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2008
• Subjects: HD28 Management. Industrial Management
• Online Access: http://repo.uum.edu.my/9879/1/Pu.pdf; http://repo.uum.edu.my/9879/
• Institution: Universiti Utara Malaysia

The Paper discusses the processes of implementing virtual reality to highlight salient aspects of traditional urban planning and constructional aspects of a heritage complex; and the development of three dimensional(3D) user interfaces to view and navigate through the model.The interface allows flexible navigation to explore the space and construction of Fatehpur Sikri; however, in some cases navigation is restricted by a guided sequence in order to enhance learning and understanding of the elements of architectural heritage.The complex of Fatehpur Sikri itself consists of a series of large buildings, surrounding large centre courts.Two dimensional (2D) measured drawings are developed into 3D models and integrated into interfaces which sequentially highlight the macro (urban planning) aspects to the more detailed structural aspects. One of the focuses is to deliver how the spatial effects of the complex may be affected by the organization and construction of built forms around open spaces, and the way they shift in major axes occur as a viewer moves along the city.Virtual reality is used to highlight the essential qualities of sjte such as terrain of a rocky sandstone ridge rising some 30 m to 45 m, the main buildings i.e. Royal residences, pavilions, halls and meeting areas where the topography necessitated in creating levels within the Royal complex with the result that the courts are staggered one behind the other.The main structures and the city form are highlighted; a city within a city, zooming in on selected elements such as the renowned raised square platform in the center of the pool approached by the four narrow gangways.Visualization is used to show how the sun moves into a particular position over the axis of the mosque and how the modular grid, developed from an axis and the square, became a systematic design instrument.The structural visualization software is used to visualize structural forces within Central pillar of Diwani Khas - in order to understand various elements of construction.This paper describes few challenges encountered throughout a) to identify the best possible way of translating historic information and representing architectural information to user, and b) to further leverage the level of realism and real time rendering performance.Future work includes evaluating the interface and interaction issues and to what extend user absorbs information in the virtual environment.