Digital technologies and physical change

Tonal map of Casa Pieris II by Minnette De Silva © Factum Foundation
Aalto Silo
Inspecting the condition of the Aaltosiilo's concrete walls in 2021 © Otto Lowe
One of the concrete bays of the Aaltosiilo with halos of light projected from the glass rods used in the restoration © Factum Foundation
Ahmad Shah Bahmani’s Mausoleum
Ahmad Shah Bahmani’s Tomb from a drone view in 2026 © Factum Foundation
LiDAR scanning training at the Ahmad Shah Bahmani’s Tomb © Deccan Heritage Foundation

key details

20, 22, 24, 27, 29 April 2026
Online on Zoom
3pm — 5pm (CEST)

about

Digital Technologies and Physical Change. How technology enables real, tangible innovations in heritage preservation is a 10-hour online course curated by the Factum Foundation. Bringing together leading practitioners, researchers, and institutions, the sessions explore how advanced digital tools are transforming the ways cultural heritage is recorded, understood, and preserved—while generating concrete, physical outcomes.

Across five sessions, the course explores key challenges in heritage preservation: the reuse of industrial architecture in the Arctic, questions of provenance and restitution, community-led initiatives in South Asia, and new scientific methods for analysing cultural heritage. Case studies include the Aaltosiilo in Oulu, the Torcello Altarpiece in Venice, the digital reconstruction of fragmented works in Nigeria and Lagos, and the use of advanced imaging technologies in Spain and UK. Together, they demonstrate how digital processes can lead to real, tangible outcomes.

Moderated by Costanza Blaskovic, the programme offers a focused overview of how high-resolution data is driving new approaches to preservation, access, and storytelling.

The course will be held in English.

Monolith Facsimile
Facsimile of a Bakor Monolith produced at Factum Foundation © Oak Taylor-Smith
The workshop at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Sri Lanka © MMCA Sri Lanka
A digital reconstruction of the stone Choir of the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela 
Specimen recorded with Selene PSS by John Barrett © Oxford University Museum of Natural History​
Depthmap from Selene PSS data © Oxford University Museum of Natural History​

Programme

April 20, 2026

Cultural strategies and practical solutions for 20th Century architectural heritage in the Arctic North

  • Charlotte Skene Catling | Skene Catlin de la Peña
  • Valentino Tignanelli | Factum Foundation
  • Venanzia Rizzi | Kerstax Oy
  • Eeva Huuhtanen | City of Ravaniemi

Charlotte Skene Catling, Valentino TignanelliAaltoSiilo – Silo Dreaming – A Journey of Revitalisation 1931 -2031 

Skene Catling de la Peña studio and Factum Foundation are repurposing Alvar and Aino Aalto’s first modernist industrial building, the Aaltosiilo, in Oulu’s Meri-Toppila district (Finland). The silo blends functionality with bold design, reflecting Aalto’s lasting architectural influence. Since 2020, innovative interventions have focused on preserving this landmark of Finland’s industrial heritage, navigating both climatic challenges and social change.

Venanzia Rizzi – Material Continuity in Industrial Heritage 

The adaptive reuse of another of Aalto’s buildings within the Meri-Toppila industrial complex focuses on industrial heritage, materiality, and the revitalisation of urban areas in the Arctic context. The building was recently converted into a climbing gym with facilities for the local community, preserving the original modernist structure and highlighting its design.

Eeva HuuhtanenAalto’s Rovaniemi: past, present and the creative future

After the Lapland War left Rovaniemi in ruins, Alvar Aalto was commissioned to reimagine the city. In 1945, he designed the iconic ‘Reindeer Antler city plan’ (Poronsarviasemakaava) and continued working on key buildings through the 1960s. Today, Rovaniemi is a UNESCO Creative City of Architecture, with cultural programmes celebrating Aalto’s legacy, the preservation of its heritage, and the city’s ongoing contribution to contemporary architecture and cultural tourism in Lapland.

April 22, 2026

Provenance, diaspora and forgotten fragments: Digital technology as a solution for restitution - part 1

  • Stefania Gerevini | Bocconi University
  • Francisco Prado-Vilar | Universidade de Santiago de Compostela
  • Carlos Bayod Lucini | Factum Foundation

Carlos Bayod Lucini Recomposing Meaning: digital preservation of remnants

2.5D and 3D digitisation transform historical vestiges into models that can recreate objects physically, digitally reconnect fragments, and unlock new narratives—but choosing the right techniques and methods is essential for the best results.

Stefania Gerevini – The Torcello Altarpiece: from the photogrammetric recording to its digital reconstruction

From the thirteenth century to the early modern period, Venetian church interiors gleamed with brilliant gold and silver altarpieces and frontals, many of which could be opened and closed horizontally to reveal and conceal multiple layers of imagery. Today, we usually perceive them as static ornaments, but their digital reconstruction restores their original functionality while enhancing their study.

Francisco Prado-Vilar – The reconstruction of fragmented heritage: the stone Choir of Santiago de Compostela 

The choir of the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, designed under the direction of Master Mateo in the late twelfth century, was one of the most complex and sophisticated choirs built in medieval Europe, both in its architectural structure and its iconographic program. Strictly contemporary with the emergence of polyphony, it reflected its innovations. Partially dismantled in the early modern period, its sculptural elements were dispersed. Today, digital technologies enable an advanced virtual reconstruction and the prospect of recovering its original configuration.

 

April 24, 2026

Knowledge transfer to communities for preserving at-risk heritage: recording and educational projects in South-Asia

  • Javier Ors Ausín | World Monuments Fund
  • Helen Philon | Deccan Heritage Foundation
  • Imran Khan | Factum Foundation

Helen PhilonRestoring Memory: The Tomb of Ahmad Shah and the Preservation of Deccan Heritage

The tomb of Ahmad Shah I (1391–1442) is housed within a medieval mosque, part of a complex that includes other royal family tombs in Ahmedabad, India. Preserving the mosque and its rich mural decorations is essential for understanding the historical, socio-religious, and economic context, especially given the scarcity of textual sources from the period. Recent 3D recordings will enable a digital restoration of both the structure and its painted walls.

Javier Ors AusínMinnette De Silva. The Online Archive of a Pioneer Modernist Architect in Sri Lanka

The World Monuments Fund and the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Sri Lanka are building local capacity to train professionals in digital preservation, including the 3D recording of historic buildings, as part of a project celebrating the work of Sri Lankan architect Minnette De Silva.

Imran KhanEducational initiatives in South-Asia and the world

Alongside developing new technologies and strategies for digital preservation, Factum Foundation aims to share best practices through hands-on workshops and recording campaigns. Photogrammetry, often combined with other techniques, is a key part of the training programmes offered to institutions in South-Asia and around the world.

April 27, 2026

Provenance, diaspora and forgotten fragments: Digital technology as a solution for restitution - part 2

  • Mari Lending | Oslo University
  • Erik Langdalen | Oslo University
  • Adam Lowe | Factum Foundation
  • Ferdinand Saumarez Smith | Factum Foundation

Mari Lending, Erik LangdalenProvenance in architecture: the “Provenance Projected” project

While provenance traditionally traces the chronological history of objects in circulation (artworks, documents, archaeological fragments, natural specimens, etc.), Provenance Projected extends this concept to architecture. It reframes architectural provenance as a dynamic phenomenon—indeed, a forward-looking and creative instrument for change—used to interpret the past, present, and future potential of buildings.

Adam Lowe, Ferdinand Saumarez SmithRepatriation issues and complex objects: the Bakor Monoliths, the Igbo Ukwu and Benin bronzes

Thanks to online catalogues and digital collections, it is now easier to trace the provenance of objects dispersed around the world, identify fragments held in museums, and determine their original location. However, when addressing repatriation and restitution, it is essential to rethink concepts of ownership and preservation and to develop practical solutions—often involving the creation of both digital and physical copies.

April 29, 2026

New methodologies for the digital analysis of cultural heritage

  • John Barrett | Bodleian Libraries
  • William Owen
  • Santiago del Bosque Arias | Factum Foundation
  • Lucía Pereira-Pardo | CSIC
  • Juan Torrejón-Valdelomar | CSIC

John Barrett, William OwenThe portable Selene Photometric Stereo System and its role in research strategies

The Selene Photometric Stereo System has transformed how scholars, curators, conservators, and restorers engage with the digitisation of documents, artworks, natural history collections, and cultural heritage. What new possibilities emerge when this technology becomes portable—capable of recording fragments at a billion pixels per square inch?

Santiago del Bosque Arias, Lucía Pereira-Pardo, Juan Torrejón-ValdelomarCombining photometric stereo data with hyperspectral imaging (RIS): a pilot scientific investigation 

For the first time, high-resolution 3D data from the Selene Photometric Stereo System has been combined with hyperspectral imaging. By identifying pigments through their unique spectral “fingerprints,” this integration opens new possibilities for studying cultural heritage—without ever touching the objects.

lecturers

Charlotte Skene Catling

She is an architect working across disciplines, from architecture to film and music. She writes for publications like The Architectural Review and DOMUS, co-launched ArchFilmFest, and has taught at the Royal College of Art (UK), London School of Architecture (UK), and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany). She was shortlisted for the 2016 AR Women in Architecture award and named a Debrett’s 500 influential in Architecture & Design.

Valentino Tignanelli

He is an Italian-Argentine architect and designer. His professional journey is characterized by a strong emphasis on collaborative design, particularly in industrial heritage and community-driven projects. His work spans built projects, exhibitions, and writing, contributing to both professional and academic discourse.

Venanzia Rizzi

She is an architect and researcher focused on industrial heritage, material culture, and adaptive reuse. Her work investigates how architectural history and technical knowledge can inform preservation and contemporary design strategies. She is also honorary Vice-Consul of Italy in Finland.

Eeva Huuhtanen

She is a project lead of the Uusi Aalto project in the City of Rovaniemi, focusing on activating Alvar Aalto’s architectural heritage as a driver for cultural tourism and urban vitality. With a background in landscape design and business development at Navico Oy, she combines strategic thinking with practical implementation, working at the intersection of culture, tourism and city development.

Carlos Bayod Lucini

He is an architect and holds a PhD in Art History and Theory from Autonomous University of Madrid. As Project Director at the Factum Foundation, his work is dedicated to the development and application of digital technology to the conservation, study and dissemination of Cultural Heritage.

Stefania Gerevini

She holds a PhD from The Courtauld Institute is and Director of the BSc in Economics and Management for Arts, Culture and Communication. Her research focuses on Medieval and Byzantine art, especially Venice and its empire, and on artistic interactions across the Mediterranean.

Francisco Prado-Vilar

Professor of Art History at the University of Santiago de Compostela and Distinguished Researcher at CISPAC, he earned his PhD from Harvard. He has held positions at Princeton, Birkbeck, and Complutense University, and led heritage projects including the restoration of the Portal of Glory at Santiago Cathedral. He currently directs “KosmoTech_1200” on historic built environments.

Helen Philon

She is an expert in Islamic art who has lived and worked across the Middle East, South Asia, Turkey, the United States and India. She founded the Department of Islamic Art at the Benaki Museum and later established the Deccan Heritage Foundation in the UK, with branches in India and New York. She has published widely on ceramics, Deccani architecture and decorative techniques.

Javier Ors Ausín

He is Senior Program Manager for Special Programs at the World Monuments Fund. He oversees initiatives that protect and preserve cultural heritage worldwide, coordinating projects that combine research, conservation, and community engagement to safeguard historic sites and promote sustainable heritage practices.

Imran Khan

He is trained as an architect and holds a graduate degree in Photogrammetry and Geoinformatics. With over ten years of professional experience in the field of cultural heritage digital documentation, he specializes in the application of advanced technologies for the preservation of historical artifacts and sites. He is currently based in Madrid, where he works with the Factum Foundation as 3D specialist. In this role, he leads digital documentation initiatives and develops training programs in partnership with universities and museums worldwide.

Mari Lending

She is a professor of architectural history and theory at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO). Her research explores provenance in architecture, examining how historical, social, and material narratives of buildings inform restoration, conservation, and adaptive reuse strategies, bridging scholarship and practical heritage interventions.

Erik Langdalen

He is a practicing architect and professor of architecture at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO). He leads work on preservation and transformation of historic buildings through teaching, research, and practice, including projects on concrete architecture and architectural systems. His work explores reuse, conservation, and the role of provenance in contemporary architecture.

Adam Lowe

OBE, Founder of Factum Arte and the Factum Foundation for Digital Technology in Preservation, he is an artist and innovator in digital heritage preservation. Trained in fine art, he applies cutting‑edge technologies to the documentation, study, and reproduction of cultural heritage worldwide. He has taught at Columbia University and received awards including Royal Designer for Industry.

Ferdinand Saumarez Smith

PhD (King’s College London), is Director of Factum Foundation London, where he leads projects in digital preservation and cultural heritage documentation. His work spans global initiatives—such as recording rock art and monoliths—and explores issues of restitution, conservation, and interpretation through high-resolution technology and community engagement.

John Barrett 

He is Senior Photographer for the Bodleian Libraries. Since 2005, John has provided recordings of Bodleian originals for numerous publications. His work involves the development of new methods of recording special collections material. John is Technical Lead at the Bodleian for ARCHiOx (Analysis and Recording of Cultural Heritage in Oxford).

William Owen

He advises on digital transformation and growth in the cultural sector, writing on material culture, design history, and conservation. He has helped leading brands and cultural organisations enhance engagement, strengthen reputation, and develop digital capabilities, focusing teams on audience insights, organisational goals, and creative solutions.

Santiago del Bosque Arias

He holds a Master’s in Technical Art History (UNAM). He works in research, curation, and technical art history with a focus on painting, collaborating with institutions like Galería Artdicré and MUNAL. His multidisciplinary approach at Factum Foundation integrates preservation, exhibitions, audience engagement, and technical development.

Lucía Pereira‑Pardo

She is a heritage science specialist focused on technical art history and non-invasive material analysis. Trained at IPCE and holding a PhD from the University of Santiago de Compostela, she has worked in leading UK institutions including the Fitzwilliam Museum and the British Museum. Her research explores pigments, imaging and AI for cultural heritage. She is part of Incipit, one of the research institute of CSIC.

Juan Torrejón-Valdelomar

He is a research technician specialising in digital archaeology and non-invasive methods. His work focuses on advanced 2D and 3D imaging, virtual reconstruction, and landscape archaeology. He develops innovative approaches to documenting and analysing archaeological heritage through digital and multiband imaging technologies. He is is part of Incipit, one of the research institute of CSIC.

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