Virtual reconstruction of Nottingham Castle Old Galleries

Virtual technologies and future architectures

We focus on the advanced use and application of digital and virtual technologies for architectural and urban architecture, culture and heritage. Using digitalisation, laser scanning, point clouds and virtual modelling, our research explores novel ways through which we can document, record, reconstruct and interact with architectural and historic environments in the digital and virtual spheres.

The use of technology and the virtual environment is becoming a key part of the future of architecture, design and creative economy. This is particularly critical in conflict-prone regions and developing countries as well as for developed economies where consumers of culture are key to the local economy.

Our researchers develop online and virtual platforms, digital exhibitions and virtual reality models of historic and contemporary architecture. These offer novel spaces to increase audience engagement with distant and remote heritage locations or to reconnect sites with artefacts in museum collections. This research often involves work with architectural practices, creative industries, technology providers and software developers.

Our innovative and technology-enabled research focus goes beyond the physical attributes of historic sites or contemporary architecture. To achieve virtual fidelity and accurate reproductions of historic environments, Professor Abdelmonem’s HeritageCAVE Framework seeks to develop novel interactive virtual spaces and platforms for the reconstruction of heritage sites, through digital preservation, virtual heritage technologies to explore the hidden stories and meanings of heritage sites. The developed environment tests the virtual engagement mechanism, visual informatics as well as the use of scanned and photogrammetry-based models to enable the public to access sites and navigate their historic and socio-cultural database.

Featured projects

Virtual technology and the architecture of museums

Rethinking heritage futures: Building competencies, synergies and knowledge exchange between UK and China on heritage management, digitisation and creative economy

2023-2025
Partners: Nottingham Trent University, Communications University of China and Beijing Institute of Technology
Funders: British Council, UK-China Enabling Grants, Going Global
Project website

Virtual heritage futures: Navigating virtual technologies, creative industries and AI for cultural heritage in the UK and China

2021-2023
Partners: Nottingham Trent University (UK), Communications University of China and Beijing Institute of Technology (China)
Funders: Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC), UK-Shanghai Special Funding Programme
Project website

HeritageCAVE and museums of the future

Museum of the future: Developing novel modes of interactive spatial experiences for user engagement with museums

2017-2019
Partners: Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham Castle Trust, Nottingham City Council
Funders: NTU’s Global Heritage Theme

The Living Museum of Umm Qais: Sustainable preservation, analysis and virtual reconstruction of Gadara's ancient site and village

2019-2022
Partners: University of Leeds (Lead), Jordan University of Science and Technology (Jordan) Nottingham Trent University (UK), Council for British Research in the Levant (CBRL)
Funders: Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Newton-Khalidi Funding Programme
Project website

HeritageCAVE: Developing a prototype of an interactive ArcGIS-based virtual heritage platform (CAVE) for endangered heritage sites of the Middle East

2018-2020
Partners: Nottingham Trent University (UK), National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics, Egypt, Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Egypt), University of Leeds (UK)
Funder: NTU’s Global Heritage Theme
Project website