Virtual Reconstruction
& Digital Production _AS 13

Master Class AS 13 / Bramante & the Chiesa di San Satiro – between Ideal and Virtual Representation

Lecturers:
-Jean-Lucien Gay
-Dong Joon Lee
-Graziella Zannone
Assistant: Francesco Pusterla
Institute: Accademia di Architettura di Mendrisio
Date: Autumn Semester 2013

The year 2014 coincides with the 500th anniversary of Bramante’s death. Envisioned as a bridge between architecture history and advanced CAD techniques, the course studied one of his very emblematic project in Milano – the Chiesa di San Satiro with his famous trompe-l’oeil. Using contemporary digital technologies, it focused one side on the original project, which hasn’t been realized, with its Greek-cross plan typical of the Renaissance and on the other side on the built project where the fourth part of its Latin-cross is only present virtually in form of a trompe-l’oeil. Both projects serve as a basis for a virtual reconstruction testing the notions of perspective in a digital environment. The students explored the potential of digital technologies along this process, from the 3d surveying of the existing building, through the virtual 3d-reconstruction, to the visualization and the digital production of presentation models.

Beyond the academic documentation, the class used digital technologies as a means to present unexpected perspectives on the architectural work of Bramante. In fact, the digitalization of the building information allows to all kind of manipulations. Navigating through the point cloud model or following a choreographed walk through the building, the students confronted various modes of contemporary digital representation to the art of the perspective construction of one the master of the Renaissance. As a final output, they worked on the digital production of two types of models using laser cutter and 3d printer – a 3d print of the interior spaces and a sectional model in form of a 3d-book.

Students:
Mimosa Ceratti*
Barbara De Girolamo*
Darragh Farrell*
Guillermo Fibla Gutiérrez*
Andrea Maretto*
Jacopo Josiah Mazzucchelli*
Leopoldo Mila Figueras*
Andrea Monfrini*
Miguel Ruiz Velasco*

*student works shown in the selection

Photographs: © Jean-Lucien Gay