Prototyping a Temporospatial Simulation Framework: Case of an Ottoman Insane Asylum
Effectively communicating the history of a complex building site using only conventional presentation techniques can be limiting. It is a challenge to present temporal changes in the site simultaneously within a spatial framework. Whereas 2D drawings typically used in architectural historical scholarship are many times cleaned abstractions, 3D models might create an illusion of "recreated reality." Both representation types distance the reader from the primary sources rather than being a mechanism to bring the reader closer to the sources. This paper reports on an interactive simulation of a fin-de-siecle Ottoman insane asylum in Istanbul. Our response to these challenges incorporates to the simulation both the temporal aspect (spanning the life of the asylum and the daily life within) and primary documents by using temporally aware 3D models and keyed descriptive markers for building programming.
