The Digital Historical Architectural Research and Material Analysis (DHARMA) team, under the direction of Prof. Krupali Krusche, documents historic monuments and buildings around the world with the use of a Leica 3-D laser scanner. Employing the latest optical technology, the students documented the Roman Forum and the Mughal Tombs in unprecedented detail. Traditional methods of hand-measuring were also conducted to supplement the data gathered through the digital technique. The students then produced detailed architectural drawings, 3-D digital models, and high-resolution panoramic photographs of the sites. In a World Heritage Studies course, part of the School of Architecture’s Historic Preservation concentration, the students also rendered data scanned at the Roman Forum site in watercolor. To date, these are the most precise measured drawings that have been made of ancient buildings at the Forum site.
There are plans to exhibit this work in Rome in conjunction with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and Rome’s Ministry of Heritage and Culture and Archaeological Service in 2014.