Multifunctional 3D model for the Farnese Theatre in Parma

Modern surveying technologies allow to obtain a digital copy of cultural assets, which can be more or less adherent to reality. When 3D reconstruction concerns historical architecture, it is necessary to deal with a series of issues that may concern choosing of the most suitable survey methodologies, processing of acquired data, management of large amounts of data, making data always upgradable and easily editable, etc. By addressing these issues in advance and adopting an extremely interdisciplinary approach in the entire process, it is possible to identify the best methodologies to use in order to achieve a versatile 3D model. This paper describes an ongoing research aimed at the creation of a multifunctional digital model of one of the most important 17th century wooden theatres in Europe, the Farnese Theatre in Parma. The main aim is to generate a tool able to respond simultaneously to the different needs that have arisen in recent years, mostly related to the documentation, preservation, valorization and dissemination of knowledge about the monument. This article describes the project and the adopted methodology, focusing mainly on survey and modeling phases. Particular attention will also be paid to the process of reconstruction of the original decorations of the proscenium, completely lost after an Allied air raid in 1944. The illustrated methodologies define a possible workflow to be adapted in other similar contexts. Finally, possible uses of the generated model will be also briefly illustrated.