Digitizing Heritage Using 3D Technology

Architect Dinh Viet Phuong, along with the 3D Art Corporation, embarked on a journey of digitizing cultural heritage in 2004, contributing to the preservation and promotion of Vietnamese culture in the digital age.

Architect Dinh Viet Phuong uses 3D technology to digitize drawings of some cultural Buddhist products. Photo: Khanh Long/VNP

Dinh Viet Phuong began collaborating with a volunteer team from the Hanoi Architecture University to create 3D simulations of the historic streets of Hanoi. They exhibited artworks depicting three eras of Hanoi, the late 19th century, the early 20th century, and the winter of 1946. This initiative started in 2004. Following the success of the exhibition, Phuong established a company to create culturally valuable products through heritage digitization.

Phuong said, "I believe that preserving heritage through technology will become a trend in the era of digital transformation. However, heritage is the realm of specialists in research, while technology serves as a tool for realization. Therefore, when creating each product, I often collaborate with experts to ensure that the final product truly embodies the core cultural values".

According to Phuong, digitizing heritage using 3D technology encompasses tangible and intangible heritage, as well as memories. When working on a digitization project, he and his colleagues research the relevant cultural space, collaborate with specialized researchers to outline detailed plans, and produce the final drawings for manufacturing. However, creating a final drawing for a digitized product is often time-consuming due to the intricate connection between tangible heritage, intangible heritage, and memories.

Ensuring that digital products from 3D technology align with the core values of tradition is crucial. Photo: Files

 With his experience in utilizing information technology for digitizing artifacts in museums, from temple architecture to intangible heritage, Phuong has reconstructed numerous architectural structures using 3D graphic technology. These include the ancient streets of Hanoi, the Buddha Shakyamuni statue at Bao An pagoda, and the stone column of Dam pagoda adorned with dragon motifs from the Ly Dynasty. These efforts contribute to the preservation of Vietnam's architectural works. The 3D graphic projects in his heritage digitization journey find widespread application in various fields./.

3D products related to Buddhist culture digitized by architect Dinh Viet Phuong. Photo: Files

Story: Ngan Ha    Photos: Khanh Long/VNP    Translated by Hong Hanh