THE AR APPLICATION BY CONSERVE STUDIO PROJECTS A HYPOTHETICAL THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGE OF ARCHITECTURE IN AYUTTHAYA HISTORICAL PARK WITH A RETOUCHING STYLE THROUGH THE ASPECT OF A CAMERA PHONE
TEXT: SURAWIT BOONJOO
PHOTO & IMAGE COURTESY OF CONSERVE STUDIO
(For Thai, press here)
This is the latest AR application with a retouching style through the aspect of a camera phone. Retouch Ayutthaya has the ability to project a three dimensional hypothetical image which overlaps a lens through the connection of actual sites and virtual image systems with transparency adaptability and a photography function taken along with the simulated image. The application showcases the past that surrounds us and invites users to explore the five significant ancient places in Ayutthaya Historical Park: Wat Mahathat, Wat Phra Si Sanphet, Wat Lokkayasutha, Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon, and Wat Chaiwatthanaram with the landscapes of the past when the Kingdom of Ayutthaya was prosperous.
Retouch Ayutthaya was designed by Conserve Studio, a design and development office. The studio is interested in the inclusion of educational knowledges from the study and research of Thai traditional architecture merged with current principles of architectural preservation before adapting them to modern technology and developing them into products which facilitate understanding and awareness in various new dimensions. The studio was founded by Nithinat Sangsitthi, Thitivuth Vichienukul and Natthapong Nanthaboon, the three classmates from Thai Architecture program in the Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University.
(Left to right) Natthapong Nanthaboon, Thitivuth Vichienukul and Nithinat Sangsitthi
“The projection of hypothetical images through our application is compiled from data processes of ancient ruins on sites composed with the images and descriptions from historical documents and ancient records. These include remaining architectures, photos as well as the Master’s and Doctorate degree researches which presumed the details of patterns, roof colors, pagodas’ texture, ratio or height of building columns.” Natthapong explained the background of architectural designs’ features or details displayed on the application.
Thitivuth added “We consider that evidence meticulously before we create the visual presumption. Although, in parts where the ruins are not clear, we try to assume their features based on possibilities. Compared to contemporary buildings, each site has a different level of assumptions. For example, regarding Wat Chaiwatthanaram, where there is clear evidence of holes behind the stupas, this leads to the visual assumption of gold stupas covered with gold leaf sheets. Unlike the main stupa in Wat Mahathat which had collapsed completely with no traces left at all. In that case we used an old document such as the royal Sri Lankan Ambassador’s record describing that that stupa was illuminatingly golden. As well as the presumption of the architectural features compared with other contemporary buildings.”
Nithinat further added that in the case of numerous wooden buildings located in the temples that have no archaeological evidence of their features and material data especially the roofing material, it would lead to assumptions on their form, material and color of roof tiles with probability. In other words, they might use the most popular tile pattern in the Ayutthaya era according to the research as the archetype for primary presumption. This process is completed before modifying each building to differ in their detailed forms and color to project the visual probability of each building with varied materials, yet similar in the regard of the period of constructing or renovating the monasteries at different times.
All of this led them to design the hypothetical images which could be viewed in all directions through the camera. When the application is turned on, it overlaps the image of ruins or ancient bases so that the architectural replica appears on authentic site surroundings with access to preliminary information and the elaborate building layout. Nevertheless, the design and development team still emphasizes and wishes to enhance its efficiency of usage better through accurate GPS and explaining each building’s significant information in depth with the integration of academic study and research. In the future, the team is also considering expanding the scope of other ancient remains in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya to include other historical parks in Thailand such as Sukhothai, Kamphaeng Phet.
Retouch Ayutthaya is an application that projects a hypothetical three dimensional image of architecture that overlaps with the landscape by considering the detailed elements of probability. In addition to building an experience in visualization and learning history with never-before-seen scenes, this is a foundation for further studies and showcases the development from the virtual images of ancient architecture using intriguing methods. For those who are interested, you can download and experiment with overlapping retouched past perspectives with the present. Get ready to venture into the past to learn architectural information about the five significant ancient remains in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province from both the App Store and Play Store.
