Educational Information

At both MARCHI and the University of Duisburg-Essen (Institute of City Planning and Urban Design), technical modernization allowing digital as well as analogue simulation of perception of urban design and architectural projects in the physical environment has made two-sided cooperation very fruitful.

The year 2002 celebrated the 100^th anniversary of the Russian architect Ivan Leonidov and provided the first real chance to test the problems and possibilities arising out of the “virtual collaboration”. Communication and dialogue regarding individual tasks were performed and agreements were made using e-mail.

The experiment undertaken in an educational “virtual collective” framework centered on the realization of a 3D-simulation. With the agreement of both sides, an educational project devised by Leonidov in 1926 entitled "A Printing House of the Isvestija Newspaper” in Pushkin Square, Moscow, was chosen. The simulation was based on current video documentation and historical photos.

The idea behind the project was to experimentally investigate, using simulation technology, what effects the performance of this project would have on the overall appearance of the city as well as the surrounding of the square. Analogue and digital simulations of planned projects set in the real environment (from photographs and video film) allowed an exploration of the plans in an urban context.

A brief description of the experiment milestones is outlined below. The proceedings also provide a basis for future team projects. Although Internet communications was language-based, supplemental pictorial language was used at both ends in order to gain a better understanding and to rule out misunderstandings. This adaptation considerably heightened the comprehension of task-setting and framework conditions.

MARCHI provided the video system laboratory and submitted guidelines for choosing the type of simulation (Fig.1).

MARCHI also provided information and consultation for producing three-dimensional physical or computer models and prepared and transmitted the necessary graphic information (accessible delineations, schedules, photos, video film fragments). In addition, MARCHI gave guidelines regarding the model spatial distribution in the video environment (Fig. 2), devised the accompanying script and mounted a video fragment.

The educational SimLab at the Institute of City Planning and Urban Design (University of Duisburg-Essen) manipulated the 3D-simulation of the project, prepared the 3D-models and superimposed, or embedded, model simulations in the real video film and edited the film according to the script.

The division of tasks and operations was, to some extent, dependent on the strengths at each end; at this time the University of Duisburg-Essen has better technical capabilities, while the MARCHI educational video system laboratory has greater experience dealing with certain problems in the preparation of initial and overall information.

On the German side, one of the first priorities was deciding the fundamental issue of the type of three-dimensional simulation to be used. Having participated for years in the European Architectural Endoscopy Association (EAEA), both collectives are adept at evaluating the applicability of analogue and digital simulations. We came to the conclusion that in the given educational experiment, where e-mailing project data was required, the computer model was more convenient. However, for a number of perception nuances, the physical analogue would have been better suitable.

When it comes to using simulations in architectural and urban design projects, it seems as though analogue simulations show advantages over digital simulations. Currently, analogue and digital simulations do show clear and distinctive differences not subject to exceptions in the valuation of urban design quality. At this time, the performance capabilities of both simulation technologies are comparable. The appearance of an analogue simulation continues to seem more natural, as in the past. Experience shows that the time required to generate an analogue simulation is lower, especially when a scaled model is already available. Such a situation is further reflected in lower costs. Embedding the 3D-model of the project in the real video environment we achieved good quality and results.

Having selected computer simulation, we produced, prepared and transmitted the graphics information initially available. One complexity was that in this particular project access to information was very poor (Fig. 3).

Fig. 3. The published initial information (from the book: Alexandrov P., Han-Magomedov S. Ivan Leonidov, M., 1971)

We devised the spatial distribution of the model, using all possible published sources and photos available as well as frames from video shooting. This stage of the project was mostly done by composite. Using graphics and internet dialogue, what was initially a poor set of information was gradually improved in terms of model details, final model coordination, coloring and spatial distribution (Fig. 4).

The final part of the project concerned the embedding of the model in historical photos to demonstrate the spatial distribution of the project through historical time and to highlight various project sections (Fig. 5a,b).

Fig. 5a,b. “Embedding” of model in historical photos

Additionally, the video fragments were created to indicate unrealized aspects of the project in the real video environment (Fig. 6a,b), (video 01, video 02, video 03, video 04).

Fig. 6a,b. “Embedding” of model in a video

By restricting communication to the Internet, it is certain that during the active project phases both parts of the educational „virtual collectives“ saved themselves many tiresome hours spent in meetings. Internet communication was limited to essential elements only, to what could be mediated between both parties using pictures and a few words. However, when it came to finding and explaining a communal project, face to face discussion certainly would have been faster and more focused.