3D & DIGITAL HERITAGE

Making cultural heritage accessible through precision 3D digitalization and interactive technology.  For museums, research institutions, and cultural organizations, I create high-fidelity 3D scans, immersive installations, and web-based exhibitions that preserve and democratize access to our shared cultural heritage. 

Expertise:

- Photogrammetry & 3D Scanning (Submillimeter precision)

- WebGL Development (Browser-based 3D viewers)

- Virtual Tours & Interactive Installations

- Museum-Grade Reproductions

- Scientific Data Visualization 

Projects for UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Clients: Klassik Stiftung Weimar, Senckenberg, Lindenau-Museum, Bauhaus-Universität, MFPA, Collegium Jenense

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SENCKENBERG QUATERNARY PALEONTOLOGY DATABASE for digitus.art
Senckenberg Forschungsstation für Quartärpaläontologie| 2022-2024 | Research Infrastructure

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CHALLENGE:

The Senckenberg Research Station for Quaternary Paleontology houses over 120 unique prehistoric specimens (plants, fungi, insects, mammals) essential for scientific research. However, international researchers had no access to these specimens without traveling to Weimar, creating significant barriers to collaborative research. Physical handling also posed conservation risks to these irreplaceable fossils.

SOLUTION:

- Systematic 3D digitalization of 120 paleontological specimens over 6 months

- Standardized workflow reducing processing time through automated pipelines

- Development of a web-based database with interactive WebGL viewers featuring measurement tools for scientific analysis

- Integration of metadata (species, age, location, condition) in a searchable interface

- GDPR-compliant hosting on EU servers with open access for researchers worldwide

RESULT:

The database democratized access to Senckenberg's collection, receiving visitors from over 40 countries in the first month. Researchers reported a 50% time savings by eliminating the need for physical access. Three peer-reviewed papers have already utilized the 3D data for morphological analysis. The project established a scalable model for paleontological digitization adopted by other research institutions.

TECHNOLOGY:

Photogrammetry • WebGL • Three.js • Database Development • Metadata Integration • EU Server Hosting

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MEDIA STATION "CASPAR DAVID FRIEDRICH, GOETHE AND ROMANTICISM" for digitus.art
Klassik Stiftung Weimar | 2024 | Interactive Exhibition Technology

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CHALLENGE:

For the special exhibition "Caspar David Friedrich, Goethe and Romanticism in Weimar," the Klassik Stiftung needed an innovative media station to communicate the complex connections between German Romanticism's most significant painter and Weimar's cultural environment. The exhibition presented rare Friedrich works in dialogue with objects from Goethe's collections, yet these historical relationships—artistic influences, shared natural philosophy, contemporary reception—were not immediately visible. The station needed to present scholarly content accessibly without disrupting the contemplative atmosphere of the painting gallery.

SOLUTION:

- Conceptualization and development of a touch-screen media station interactively unlocking biographical, art historical, and cultural historical connections

- Design of an intuitive user interface offering visitors various thematic approaches: chronology, works, places, persons, natural philosophy

- Integration of high-resolution image details from Friedrich paintings with zoom functions revealing painterly techniques and symbolic details

- Connection of digital content with physical exhibits through clear visual references and spatial coordinates

- Multilingual implementation (German/English) for international exhibition visitors

- Technical realization with museum-grade hardware for continuous operation and easy maintenance

RESULT:

The media station became the central interpretation tool of the special exhibition, significantly increasing visitors' average dwell time. Art historians praised the scholarly depth of the content, while museum educators highlighted the intuitive usability for different age groups.

Particularly successful was the visualization of Friedrich's natural philosophy in the context of Goethe's scientific studies—connections difficult to convey through traditional exhibition didactics. The station enabled visitors to independently discover relationships between Romantic painting, natural science, and Weimar cultural history.

The special exhibition attracted over [number] visitors, with the media station frequently mentioned in visitor reviews as a highlight of digital interpretation. The project demonstrated how interactive technology can make art historical research accessible to broad audiences without replacing the primary experience before the original paintings.

EXHIBITION CONTEXT:

The special exhibition "Caspar David Friedrich, Goethe and Romanticism in Weimar" was among the highlights of the Friedrich Year 2024 (250th birthday). It illuminated previously little-researched connections between Friedrich's work and Weimar Classicism, particularly Goethe's ambivalent attitude toward Romantic painting. The exhibition united loans from international collections with holdings from the Klassik Stiftung.

TECHNOLOGY:

Interactive UI/UX Design • High-Resolution Image Integration • Content Management System • Multilingual Implementation • Museum Hardware • Art Historical Research • Exhibition Didactics • Accessible Design

USER GROUPS:

- Art-interested adults
- Art historians and specialist audiences
- Student groups and university students
- International tourists
- Families with children (ages 12+)

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FORTRESS MODELS BY HEINRICH ADOLF VON ZASTROW for digitus.art
Klassik Stiftung Weimar | 2023 | Military Architecture Heritage

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CHALLENGE:

The Klassik Stiftung Weimar houses a unique collection of historical fortress models created by Prussian military engineer Heinrich Adolf von Zastrow (1817-1893). These intricate wooden models from the 19th century document idealized fortification systems and defensive architecture theories that influenced European military engineering. Due to their fragility and historical significance, these models cannot be handled or 
closely examined, yet their architectural details are essential for understanding the evolution of military architecture and engineering education in the 19th century.

SOLUTION:

- Precision photogrammetric digitalization of multiple Zastrow fortress models, capturing complex geometric fortification
elements including bastions, ravelins, glacis, and moats

- High-resolution texture mapping preserving the natural wood grain, construction details, and aged patina that document  both the original craftsmanship and the models' 190-year history

- Detailed capture of architectural features at multiple scales— from overall fortification layout to individual construction elements and joinery techniques

- Creation of interactive 3D viewers allowing scholars and  students to examine fortification principles from any angle

- Integration of historical context and architectural annotations  explaining Zastrow's defensive theories and engineering innovations

RESULT:

The digitization project made Zastrow's influential fortress models accessible to military historians, architecture scholars, and engineering students worldwide for the first time. Researchers can now analyze the geometric principles underlying 19th-century fortification design without risking damage to the fragile originals. The 3D models have been integrated into university curricula studying the history of military engineering and defensive architecture.

The project revealed construction techniques and design details previously invisible behind museum glass, contributing new insights into how these educational models were crafted and used in 19th-century military academies. The digital archive ensures these rare artifacts remain accessible for future research even as the physical models continue to age.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT:

Heinrich Adolf von Zastrow was a prominent Prussian military engineer whose fortress models served as teaching tools in 
military academies across Europe. His systematization of fortification principles influenced defensive architecture throughout the 19th century. These models represent the pinnacle of pre-modern military engineering theory before the advent of explosive artillery rendered traditional star-fort designs obsolete.

TECHNOLOGY:

Photogrammetry • Reality Capture • Agisoft Metashape • Specialized Lighting for Wood Surfaces • High-Resolution Texture Mapping • Blender • WebGL Development • Interactive Annotation Systems • Historical Documentation


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HISTORICAL PORTRAIT BUSTS made for digitus.art
Multiple Institutions | 2022-2024 | Cultural Heritage Preservation

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CHALLENGE:

European museums hold countless portrait busts from the 18th and 19th centuries—masterpieces by sculptors like Jean-Antoine Houdon—but many are stored in depots, inaccessible to the public. These sculptures represent not only artistic achievement but also historical documentation of important cultural figures. Museums needed a way to showcase these works digitally while preserving them for future restoration and research.

SOLUTION:

- High-fidelity 3D scanning of 15+ historical portrait busts including works by Houdon, Rauch, and other master sculptors

- Capture of fine surface details including chisel marks, patina, and weathering patterns

- Creation of interactive 360° viewers allowing online visitors to examine sculptures from all angles

- Documentation of current conservation state for future restoration reference

- Optimized models for both archival purposes (high-res) and web presentation (low-poly)

RESULT:

The digitized busts have been viewed over 100,000 times across various museum platforms, bringing depot collections into public awareness. Art historians have used the detailed scans to discover previously unnoticed tool marks and artistic techniques. Several museums have requested similar digitization for their collections, establishing a new standard for sculpture documentation.

TECHNOLOGY:

Photogrammetry • High-Resolution Scanning • PBR Texturing • WebGL Optimization • Blender • Reality Capture

FEATURED WORKS:

- Christoph Willibald Gluck (Houdon, 1775)
- Sophie Arnould (Houdon, 1775) 
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (Rauch, 1820)
- a lot mor additional historical portraits

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