Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
(b)
(a)
Figure 6.17
VRML world
image onto the screen. VRML code defines objects as frameworks that are rendered. This
makes file sizes very small. The appearance of rendered surfaces can also be modified using
different textures. By using the computer's fast processing speeds, and specifying multiple,
sequential viewpoints, 'walkthroughs' or 'flythroughs' can be produced.
All buildings in the study area were surveyed to ascertain position, use and building height.
Also, each building fa¸ ade was photographed for use in 'stitching' the images onto the sides
of VRML primitive shapes. All buildings in the study area were subsequently inserted into
the model.
From previous stages of this research (Cartwright
et al.
, 2004) a naive world was built that
only contained basic building outlines and some landmark building detail. Also, at the end
of each street 'end-of-the-world' images were added to ensure that the world did not 'end' at
the edge of the model. Single images were captured at the end of each street and then 'pasted'
at the edge of the VRML world to give the impression that the world continued beyond the
extent of the model. The world and 'end of the world images' are shown in Figure 6.17.
6.6 Melbourne Historical Buildings Demonstration Product
An associated and complimentary VRML model is being developed for appreciating 'lost'
city buildings of part of the Central Business District in Melbourne, Australia. This model
will 'fuse' together existing buildings of significance with the 'missing' buildings - those
removed hastily in the building boom of the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s. The aim of
producing the model was to develop a simple, accessible demonstration prototype that
could be used to familiarize historians with the potential that three-dimensional simulations
provide for better appreciation of what the city might have been if all significant buildings
remained intact (Figure 6.18). It was also developed as a vehicle to support applications
for funding to extend the prototype to cover the entire Central Activities District. As the
prototype has developed techniques for sourcing imagery (current and historical), capturing
and processing images of standing buildings, actually building the model using the VRML
and delivering a usable web-delivered product, to extend the model to cover the entire
Central Business District would hinge only on the access to adequate historical imagery; it
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