REbuilding a sense of PLACE (REPLACE) is a programme of research that aims to increase community resilience after natural disasters by advancing our understanding of the socio-cultural role 3D technologies can play in rebuilding a sense of place, thus enabling communities to prepare for, respond to, recover from, mitigate the effects, and adapt to environmental disasters.

A UKRI FLF funded project, REPLACE aims to advance the transformative deployment of 3D technologies in supporting communities and heritage in the context of environmental disasters. We will investigate how a sense of place, heritage and resilience intersect, and co-develop and assess how to integrate participatory practices and 3D technologies into the Hazard Management Cycle. We will explore how we can impact policy, practices, and standards for the use of 3D technologies to support communities and heritage in the context of disasters. We will also examine if the Hazard Management Cycle works effectively in supporting communities and in the way they need it to. Our case studies are selected based on their “placements” within the hazard management, and through that we can explore the different uses communities would have for 3D technologies in their experiences of earthquakes.

Values

01. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

equality-diversity-inclusion

The REPLACE team advocates for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, following the University of Essex Policy 2019-25

equality-diversity-inclusion

02. Resilience

resilience

The REPLACE team is committed to supporting our communities to become more resilient, by enabling them to prepare for, respond to, recover from, mitigate the effects, and adapt to natural disasters.

resilience

03. Sustainability

Sustainability

The REPLACE team strives for sustainability, by minimising the project’s environmental impact and increasing its longevity in terms of reuse and repurpose through community-led practices of co-creation and co-ownership.

Sustainability

04. Respect and Humility

Respect and Humility

The REPLACE team is guided by humility and respect, by having due regard for the needs, abilities and vulnerability of our communities and deferring to them as the experts of their own embodied lived experience.

Respect and Humility

05. Freedom, Mastery and Autonomy

Freedom, Mastery and Autonomy

The REPLACE team champions Freedom, Mastery and Autonomy, by sharing with our communities the knowledge, skills and means necessary to autonomously engage with and adapt the project’s designs.

Freedom, Mastery and Autonomy

06. Lightness

Lightness

The REPLACE Team seeks to develop designs that produce feelings of enjoyment and/or satisfaction in the virtual experience of place, not as a form of nostalgic escapism but as a personal and intergenerational reflection leading to a new perspective of place. 

Lightness

07. Curiosity and Innovation

Curiosity and Innovation

The Replace team embraces Curiosity and Innovation, by challenging assumptions, encouraging our communities to try something new and imagining possible alternative futures.

Curiosity and Innovation

3D Technologies

WEBGL

WebGL is a real-time interactive model of the environment, allowing both bird-eye view and flying mode. Users can explore the surroundings, approach objects of interest and upload contents.

FEATURES

Smartphone

Desktop

VR-HMD

Uploading contents

Collaborating

Viewing extra contents

3DF

6DF

GO-TO VIRTUAL PLATFORM

Mozilla Hubs is a real-time model of the environment, allowing virtual collaboration and shared exploration. It supports immersive viewing and works as well on classical mobile devices and desktops.

FEATURES

Smartphone

Desktop

VR-HMD

Uploading contents

Collaborating

Viewing extra contents

3DF

6DF

360-DEGREE MEDIA

360-degree videos provide an immersive and panoramic viewing experience, allowing users to explore a complete visual sphere in all directions. This technology offers an innovative and dynamic
way to experience spaces.

FEATURES

Smartphone

Desktop

VR-HMD

Uploading contents

Collaborating

Viewing extra contents

3DF

6DF

3D-VR APPS

3D virtual reality (VR) experiences transport users into immersive digital environments. These applications use stereoscopic 3D visuals and spatial audio to simulate a realistic world that users can explore, manipulate, and engage with.

FEATURES

Smartphone

Desktop

VR-HMD

Uploading contents

Collaborating

Viewing extra contents

3DF

6DF

3D PRINTS

3D printing is a technique that facilitates the meticulous recreation of artifacts, providing a non-intrusive preservation method. This approach is particularly valuable for safeguarding delicate, deteriorating, or inaccessible items, as well as reproducing lost heritage in a material form. The advantages of 3D printing extend beyond preservation, offering unprecedented educational and
communication opportunities.

One notable benefit is the ability to create exact replicas, enabling direct and sensorial interactions
with artifacts. This provides a unique opportunity to foster a diverse engagement with cultural heritage. Moreover, 3D printing allows for the promotion of unauthorized or unconventional heritage based on community interests. This approach fosters a more participatory grassroots method for heritage identification and valorisation. Communities have the opportunity to actively shape and showcase their heritage, adding a dynamic layer to the preservation narrative.