SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE TO BE DIGITALLY RECORDED BY SCOTTISH TEAM
One
of the world’s most iconic buildings is to be digitally recorded for future
generations by a team from Scotland.
Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop today (October 22nd) announced that Sydney Opera House will be the fourth international site to be digitally scanned by the Scottish Ten team.
Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop
The
Scottish Ten project – a partnership between Historic Scotland and experts in
3D scanning and visualisation at Glasgow School of Art’s Digital Design Studio,
plus digital heritage organisation CyArk – is using cutting edge
technology to digitally record all five of Scotland’s world heritage sites and
five international sites.
The
scanning project will allow unprecedented visual access to the Opera House and
supply information for use in maintenance and conservation programmes.
Cabinet
Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop said: “The Sydney
Opera House is one of the most iconic buildings in the world and is a
masterpiece of architecture and engineering.
“By bringing together Historic Scotland’s deep understanding of
heritage and the expertise in 3D visualisation at the Glasgow School of Art’s
Digital Design Studio, Scotland
has created a world-leading digital documentation project in the Scottish Ten.
“This will be the most detailed digital recording of the
Opera House ever attempted. It will present entirely new challenges for the
Scottish Ten team, who have already completed projects at vast and complex
sites in the USA and India, and will soon visit China.
“This
is by far the most modern building to be included in the Scottish Ten project
and is a contrast to the castles, mills, tombs, Neolithic settlements, wells
and sculptures that have come before it – but it will be a fascinating addition,
and will further push the team’s skills and expertise.”
The announcement was made at the DigiDoc
2012, an international digital documentation conference organised by Historic
Scotland, Glasgow School of Art and CyArk, to explore all advanced forms of
digital media and data capture for a variety of applications in heritage
contexts and beyond. Representatives from Australia, including Greg
McTaggart, director of building development and maintenance at Sydney Opera
House, and Bob Leece, Opera House Trustee, were present for the announcement.
Welcoming the news, Australian
Heritage Minister Tony Burke said: “The Australian Government is delighted that
the World Heritage listed Sydney Opera House is to be part of the Scottish Ten
project. The Sydney Opera House is not just a symbol of Australia’s cultural and artistic excellence, to
many it is also a symbol of Australia
itself.
“The Scottish Ten project will provide
us and the Sydney Opera House Trust with extraordinary insights into one of our
most well known buildings, and provide invaluable information and perhaps a new
way of looking at the place.
“On behalf of the Australian
Government, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Historic Scotland,
and the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs Fiona
Hyslop, for selecting the Sydney Opera House, and giving us the opportunity to
be involved in this remarkable project.”
Australian Minister for the Arts,
George Souris said: “The New South Wales Government is delighted that Sydney
Opera House has been selected for this innovative, international project. It
recognises how highly the international community values our nation’s most
celebrated architectural site.
“The world-leading expertise and
technology of the Scottish Ten team will be of great benefit to Sydney Opera
House in its ongoing conservation and maintenance. On behalf of the New South
Wales Government, I would like to thank the Scottish Government for selecting
Sydney Opera House to be involved in this exciting project.”
Mount Rushmore scan
The
Scottish Ten team has already recorded the presidential heads at Mount Rushmore
in the United States and
Rani Ki Vav, the Queen’s Stepwell in India,
and is preparing to scan the Eastern Qing Tombs, part of the Imperial
Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties World Heritage Site in Beijing, China.
The Scottish Ten initiative showcases the use of latest
digital documentation and visualisation technology, and allows the creation of
a digital archive of sites, helping with conservation and providing virtual
access to often inaccessible areas.
Through these initiatives, Historic Scotland is promoting
Scottish innovation around the world, co-ordinating all the Scottish Ten site
work, and improving international relationships
1.
Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop, greets Bob
Leece from Sydney Opera House at the DigiDoc 2012 international conference in Edinburgh on Monday, after
announcing that the iconic building would be the next site to be digitally
scanned as part to the Scottish Ten programme. (This image to be issued
separately by Donald MacLeod to picture desks.)
2. Sydney
Opera House, one of the world’s most iconic and instantly recognisable buildings,
will be digitally scanned as part of the Scottish Ten project. (Photograph –
Jack Atley, courtesy Sydney Opera House Trust.) (This picture available on
request.)
Notes to editor
Historic Scotland
is an executive agency of the Scottish Government charged with
safeguarding the nation’s historic environment. The agency is fully
accountable to Scottish Ministers and through them to the Scottish
Parliament. For more information visit www.historic-scotland.gov.uk. Follow us on Twitter @welovehistory
and Facebookwww.facebook.com/visithistoricscotland
The
Glasgow School of Art (GSA) is internationally recognised as one of
Europe’s foremost higher education institutions for creative education and
research in fine art, design and architecture. The Digital Design Studio (DDS) is a
world leading research and postgraduate centre of the GSA specialising in
3D digital visualisation and interaction technologies. It combines
academic, research and commercial activities. The experts at the Digital
Design Studio are currently creating the 3D scans for the widely admired
Scottish Ten, as a partner in the CDDV. Other areas of DDS research
include ground-breaking medical and marine visualization, and auralisation and sound. www.gsa.ac.uk/research/research-centres/digital–design–studio/
CyArk is a
non-profit entity whose mission is to digitally preserve cultural heritage
sites through collecting, archiving and providing open access to data
created by laser scanning, digital modelling, and other state-of-the-art
technologies. For more information visit www.archive.cyark.org
The Centre for
Digital Documentation and Visualisation, a partnership between Historic
Scotland and The Glasgow School of Art’s Digital Design Studio, was
created by the Scottish Government to carry out the Scottish Ten project.
This ambitious five-year project will digitally record the five UNESCO
World Heritage Sites in Scotland
and five international sites. For more information, visit www.scottishten.org
The Year of Creative Scotland began on
January 1, 2012 and will spotlight and celebrate Scotland’s cultural and
creative strengths on a world stage. Through a dynamic and exciting
year-long programme of activity celebrating our world-class events, festivals,
culture and heritage, the year puts Scotland’s culture and creativity in
the international spotlight with a focus on cultural tourism and
developing the events industry and creative sector in Scotland. More
information about the programme can be found at: www.visitscotland.com/creative
The Year of
Creative Scotland is a Scottish Government initiative led in partnership
by EventScotland, VisitScotland, Creative Scotland and VOCAL. More
information and resources to help businesses engage with Year of Creative
Scotland are available at www.visitscotland.org/yearofcreativescotland-toolkit
Contact:David
Gray, Communications and Media Officer
