Reconstruction of Cultural Heritage in Virtual Space Following Disasters
While previous studies have explored the use of digital technologies in cultural heritage site reconstruction, limited attention has been given to systems that simultaneously support cultural restoration and psychological healing. This study investigates how multimodal, deep learning–assisted digita...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Buildings |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/12/2040 |
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| _version_ | 1839654559804293120 |
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| author | Guanlin Chen Yiyang Tong Yuwei Wu Yongjin Wu Zesheng Liu Jianwen Huang |
| author_facet | Guanlin Chen Yiyang Tong Yuwei Wu Yongjin Wu Zesheng Liu Jianwen Huang |
| author_sort | Guanlin Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | While previous studies have explored the use of digital technologies in cultural heritage site reconstruction, limited attention has been given to systems that simultaneously support cultural restoration and psychological healing. This study investigates how multimodal, deep learning–assisted digital technologies can aid displaced populations by enabling both digital reconstruction and trauma relief within virtual environments. A demonstrative virtual reconstruction workflow was developed using the Great Mosque of Aleppo in Damascus as a case study. High-precision three-dimensional models were generated using Neural Radiance Fields, while Stable Diffusion was applied for texture style transfer and localized structural refinement. To enhance immersion, Vector Quantized Variational Autoencoder–based audio reconstruction was used to embed personalized ambient soundscapes into the virtual space. To evaluate the system’s effectiveness, interviews, tests, and surveys were conducted with 20 refugees aged 18–50 years, using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised and the System Usability Scale as assessment tools. The results showed that the proposed approach improved the quality of digital heritage reconstruction and contributed to psychological well-being, offering a novel framework for integrating cultural memory and emotional support in post-disaster contexts. This research provides theoretical and practical insights for future efforts in combining cultural preservation and psychosocial recovery. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-aef0bc883e7f43a88e28f8a0a26cc7ca |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2075-5309 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Buildings |
| spelling | doaj-art-aef0bc883e7f43a88e28f8a0a26cc7ca2025-06-25T13:35:51ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092025-06-011512204010.3390/buildings15122040Reconstruction of Cultural Heritage in Virtual Space Following DisastersGuanlin Chen0Yiyang Tong1Yuwei Wu2Yongjin Wu3Zesheng Liu4Jianwen Huang5School of Arts, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, ChinaSchool of Artificial Intelligence, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, ChinaGraduate School of Chinese National Academy of Arts, Beijing 100027, ChinaDepartment of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR 999077, ChinaSchool of Architecture and Urban Planning, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510090, ChinaSchool of Architecture and Urban Planning, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510090, ChinaWhile previous studies have explored the use of digital technologies in cultural heritage site reconstruction, limited attention has been given to systems that simultaneously support cultural restoration and psychological healing. This study investigates how multimodal, deep learning–assisted digital technologies can aid displaced populations by enabling both digital reconstruction and trauma relief within virtual environments. A demonstrative virtual reconstruction workflow was developed using the Great Mosque of Aleppo in Damascus as a case study. High-precision three-dimensional models were generated using Neural Radiance Fields, while Stable Diffusion was applied for texture style transfer and localized structural refinement. To enhance immersion, Vector Quantized Variational Autoencoder–based audio reconstruction was used to embed personalized ambient soundscapes into the virtual space. To evaluate the system’s effectiveness, interviews, tests, and surveys were conducted with 20 refugees aged 18–50 years, using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised and the System Usability Scale as assessment tools. The results showed that the proposed approach improved the quality of digital heritage reconstruction and contributed to psychological well-being, offering a novel framework for integrating cultural memory and emotional support in post-disaster contexts. This research provides theoretical and practical insights for future efforts in combining cultural preservation and psychosocial recovery.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/12/2040digital preservation of architectural heritagemultimodal interaction designNeural Radiance Fieldspost-disaster trauma interventionStable Diffusionvirtual cultural heritage reconstruction |
| spellingShingle | Guanlin Chen Yiyang Tong Yuwei Wu Yongjin Wu Zesheng Liu Jianwen Huang Reconstruction of Cultural Heritage in Virtual Space Following Disasters Buildings digital preservation of architectural heritage multimodal interaction design Neural Radiance Fields post-disaster trauma intervention Stable Diffusion virtual cultural heritage reconstruction |
| title | Reconstruction of Cultural Heritage in Virtual Space Following Disasters |
| title_full | Reconstruction of Cultural Heritage in Virtual Space Following Disasters |
| title_fullStr | Reconstruction of Cultural Heritage in Virtual Space Following Disasters |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reconstruction of Cultural Heritage in Virtual Space Following Disasters |
| title_short | Reconstruction of Cultural Heritage in Virtual Space Following Disasters |
| title_sort | reconstruction of cultural heritage in virtual space following disasters |
| topic | digital preservation of architectural heritage multimodal interaction design Neural Radiance Fields post-disaster trauma intervention Stable Diffusion virtual cultural heritage reconstruction |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/12/2040 |
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