Sector: Cultural Heritage / Urban Studies / Architecture
Philological reconstruction of the former Palace of Justice of Modena.
In 1963, the urban fabric of Modena — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — suffered a profound controversy: the demolition of the former Palace of Justice in Piazza Grande to make way for a modern building (the current Cassa di Risparmio bank premises). Our aim was twofold: to restore the public’s perception of the original volumes and to enable a critical study of a vanished piece of the city, leaving no room for approximation.
The project followed a rigorous methodology: geometric reconstruction based on period cadastral maps, archive photographs and historical surveys. The modelling respected exact volumetric ratios to guarantee architectural precision, with the use of advanced tools for generating textures consistent with the materials of the time (stone, brick and nineteenth-century finishes), restoring realism to surfaces of which only black-and-white photographs remained.
Users were able to experience the reconstruction through two complementary modes:
- At 1:1 scale (XR): Wearing the visor, the user found themselves physically standing in front of the Palazzo in Piazza Grande. This scale allowed them to perceive the original urban impact and the shadow the building cast over the square, highlighting the lost dialogue with the historic monuments still standing today.
- In miniature (XR): An “architect’s eye view” for analysing the palazzo as a physical object on a virtual table, allowing decorative details to be observed that would otherwise be difficult to appreciate at full size.
The virtual project allowed new generations to visually understand what many describe as an urban planning mistake. The experience generated a powerful emotional impact, demonstrating how XR can serve as a “time machine” for the symbolic repair of historical damage.
App used: HDT Heritage.