CHC organises exhibition and community consultation as part of the 3D for Heritage India project

Center for Heritage Conservation (CHC), CRDF in collaboration with the Nottingham Trent University, ICCROM, and Hunnarshala Foundation is completing the first phase of the project '3D for Heritage India'. The research team organized an exhibition and community consultation session at the village of Bela in Kutch on the 17th and 18th of November 2021. A students' workshop and a seminar were held at CRDF's campus in Ahmedabad on the 20th of November 2021. These events aimed to disseminate knowledge amongst stakeholders and future conservation professionals while sharpening the team's ideas for the next phase of this project.  

The exhibition consisted of processed 3D models of the village and traditional houses of Kutch, drone recordings, social survey information, and puzzles designed for children. This exhibition (held at Bela, Kutch) was recreated at Ahmedabad for CEPT University's students. The workshop and seminar focused on 3D data processing, the role of technology for disaster risk preparedness, the importance of local knowledge and learning from the local community, and working in partnership while building a relationship with the community. These aspects were respectively discussed by Dr Bernadette Devilat (Nottingham Trent University), Dr Rohit Jigyasu (ICCROM), Prof Mohamed Gamal Abdelmonem (Nottingham Trent University), Dr Jigna Desai (CHC), and Aditya Singh and Tanvi Chaudhari (Hunnarshala Foundation). The seminar was moderated by Dr Gauri Bharat (CEPT University). In her concluding remarks, she highlighted the significance of sustainable forms of actions for knowledge production while emphasising how such actions and engagement prepare the community to hold onto their traditional environment, contributing to the broader concept of cultural heritage.

The project '3D for Heritage India: A sustainable re-construction method for seismic-prone heritage areas of India based on advanced recording technologies' is funded by the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), UK.

The seminar's recording is available for viewing on the project's website and CHC's YouTube channel.