Press Release Avignon - Art Graphique et Patrimoine

THE DIGITAL RECONSTRUCTION OF AVIGNON BRIDGE
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SUMMARY
1. THE SCIENTIFIC DIMENSION
• A WIDE-RANGING RESEARCH PROGRAM
• A WIDE INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM
• ALL FIELDS DISCOVERIES
2. A CONTRIBUTION TO CULTURAL HERITAGE
VALORISATION
•
•
•
•
THE EXPOSITION COAST TO COAST
FITTING-OUT OPERATIONS
THE PURCHASE OF THE EQUIPMENT
THE APP AND MOVIE DESIGN
3. A MULTIANNUAL & MULTIPARTNER ADMINISTRATIVE
FRAMEWORK
•
•
•
•
FIVE AGREEMENTS
THE CALL FOR TENDER AND THE MARKET
THE TEMPORARY TRANSFER OF THE PROJECT SUPERVISION
A CROSS-CUTTING CONTROL COMMITEE
4. DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES
• THE GREEN DIGITAL ROUTE
• THE NEW AGREEMENT FRAMEWORK TO PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
5. CONCLUSION
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1. THE SCIENTIFIC DIMENSION
• A WIDE-RANGING RESEARCH PROGRAM: PAVAGE
h%p://www.pavage.map.archi.fr/Le_Pont_dAvignon/PAVAGE.html
The idea of a digital res9tu9on of the Avignon Bridge and its river landscape was born 8 years
ago in the framework of the «digital Chartreuse» and its related project about augmented
reality.
The res9tu9on of this architectural work of art in its fluvial environment has implied the
analysis of about 25km2 area; nevertheless, it has a wider geo-historical dimension.
Thus, this program brings together geomorphologists, archaeologist, medievalists, and
architects as professionals of digital simula9on. A very ambi9ous paleo-environmental
research project was set up to explore the Avignon Bridge and its structures restored on both
sides of the river.
•
A WIDE INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM
The PAVAGE project, coordinated by MAP, groups together four laboratories to research,
adopting an interdisciplinary approach:
• The MAP = Modèles et simulations pour l’architecture et le patrimoine
UMR 3495 - CNRS / Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication
• The CEREGE = Centre Européen de Recherche et d’Enseignement des Géosciences de
l’Environnement
UMR 7330 CNRS / Aix-Marseille III / IRD / Collège de France
• The CIHAM = Centre Interuniversitaire d’Histoire et d’Archéologie Médiévales
UMR 5648 - CNRS / Univ. Lyon II / Univ. d’Avignon / ENS Lyon / EHESS
• The LA3M = Laboratoire d’Archéologie Médiévale et Moderne en Méditerranée
UMR 7298 - CNRS / Maison Méditerranéenne des Sciences de l’Homme
The interdisciplinarity sought by the project coordinator Michel Berthelot - we should honor
him since his leN us last spring - was the key element that guided to actual results. The
confronta9on of approaches and the pooling of knowledge synthesized by the digital
res9tu9on has proved to be extremely fruiPul.
This program has been sustained by the funds of Agence Na!onale de la Recherche, supported
by the Provence Apes-Côte-d’Azur region and by the Fonds européen de développement
regional, of the DRAC Languedoc-Roussillon and the CNR. It implies the town of Avignon and
Villeneuve-lez-Avignon, through the project management of the Grand Avignon urban
community.
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• ALL FIELDS DISCOVERIES
•
Excava ons have been undertaken at the bo om of the Philippe le bel’s tower,
revealing the exact posi9on of the bridge by showing the remains of the door-tower.
The findings helped to clarify the contours and to refine the assump9ons regarding
the remains (the reconstruc9on of disappeared pieces and of incomplete structures).
•
The survey of the Philippe le Bel’s Tower has revealed two phases of the construc9on:
before and aNer the tower raising (rediscovery of hoards).
The finding of po%ery tes9fies a good level of well-being in the governor’s gatehouse.
Instead of the current solitary donjon, a for9fied structure: a tower, a gatehouse and
an excep9onal bridge.
•
Archeological surveys at the St Bénezet chapel site have revised the different phases
of the construc9on at the level of the second pile. Thus the film can show the southern
face of the chapel.
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•
A geo-physical measures campaign on the Abbey plain and on the Barthelasse
Island.
Drilling campaigns and bathymetric surveys (underwater ultrasounds and electro
resis9vity measures) were used to map the different evolu9ons of the river and to
understand the incidence of climate changes on degrada9on and structural damages.
Thus the pile collapsing is the result of a specific climate change: the arrival of the li%le
Ice Age. The piles on pebbles in arid period couldn’t resist to the erosion of phrea9c
zone swollen by floods.
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•
The immersion in the archives has reviewed the legend of Saint Bénezet and the
legend on the construc9on of the bridge: at the end of XII century Bénezet ran the
charity founds connected to the hospital, in order to buy land to build the bridge.
At the beginning, a wood bridge was designed to be a dam to control the northern and
the southern axis of the river, the major economic way of sources arrival.
If the legend tells that the construc9on employed 7 years, in fact the bridge took more
than hundred years to be built and only later the Saint had a chapel at his name, which
received the relics of the Saint in order to a%ract visitors and their dona9ons. A real
business strategy that enriched the city of the pope and that gave a strategic
dimension to the bridge.
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The point cloud surveys obtained by scanning and vectoriza on designed the digital model
of the bridge and mapped the twenty-two arches of the bridge, for 920m of extension. They
have revealed the winding shape of the bridge and they have confirmed the exact number of
piles, offering the possibility of re-build virtually two smallest arches.
The bridge of Avignon appears in all its majesty, as one of the major engineering work of the
Middle Ages.
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2. A CONTRIBUTION TO CULTURAL HERITAGE
VALORISATION
The history and the memory of Rhône for sharing
The built heritage and the history of river made possible the re-discovery of the bridge and its
natural landscape. If today only four of the twenty-two arches are visible, one of the aims of
this project was the reconstruc9on of what is no longer preserved. The valoriza9on of all this
knowledge has been planned at the beginning.
The most important eras and certain points of view have been chosen in order to be the most
representa9ve ways to show the historical evolu9on. In 2012 the exposi9on coast to coast
launched this cultural media9on work.
• THE EXPOSITION COAST TO COAST
Promoted by the «Grand Avignon» project the exhibi9on “from coast to coast” was launched
in July at the Avignon Bridge and in the Philippe le Bel’s tower; it traces the discoveries and the
scien9fic current researches. Since 2012 it has been visited by 50.000 visitors in Villeneuve,
and more than a million in Avignon. Its update is planned this fall with the launch of its digital
reconstruc9on video.
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• SAFETY WORKS AT THE PUBLIC ACCESS AND THE VALORISATION OF
EXCAVATIONS
The fiWng-out opera9ons have been carried out in a strict con9nuity of the project and with the budget
allocated for them:
At the Philippe le Bel Tower
Safety works:
•
•
Handrail of the tower stairs;
Wood staircase to the excava9ons
An original rugged staircase ;
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Safeguard and enhancement:
It seemed essen9al showing to the public the remains of the end of the bridge. However modest they
are, these traces are the unique proof of a forgo%en history.
The safeguard and the enhancement of these remains are essen9al phases to be%er understand the
topography of the site in order to offer a high level of heritage media9on.
Crystalliza9on and valorisa9on of excava9on.
Consolida9on in opus incertum style, to be,er reading the remains
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•
PURCHASE OF 3D EQUIPMENTS AND DIGITAL ADJUSTEMENT
ANer the cabling and the connec9on by op9cal fiber of the tower, about thirty tablets, two
loading racks and two wireless terminal have been purchased for the project, available to the
public at the tower Philippe le bel (ten tablets) and at the bridge remains (twenty tablets).
The device is provided to be downloaded by the owner of tablets and smartphones.
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Opera9onal commi%ee for the 17th April / first test on site of the device
• THE AUGMENTED REALITY APP ON EMBEDDED DIGITAL SYSTEMS
The 3D reconstruc9on model of the bridge was delivered by the CNRS laboratories in July 2014.
The development of the applica9on has been entrusted to two socie9es, AGP (Art Graphique
& Patrimoine) and GMT, winners of the World Summit Award by ONU as developers of the app
Jumièges 3D with a long dura9on exper9se in this field.
AGP plays a leading role in France in augmented reality technology applied to cultural heritage
and it has several applica9on to its credits. The company has developed many research
projects in this field (Charles V’s study at Vincennes Castel and Moulage Augmenté at Cité de
l’architecture & du patrimoine) in partnership with Cap Digital in the context of the digital
fes9val Futur en Seine, enjoying the financial support of Ile de France region.
The applica9on aims to enlighten the history of the Bridge in its river landscape and provide
the public with a real digital experience. It allows tourists to discover the Avignon Bridge
throughout digital embedded systems (tablets and smartphone) with the visit of historical
sites, by integra9ng the informa9on content and the augmented reality stopovers.
The first version of the applica9on is today available with three points of interest (Philippe le
bel tower, rocks of Doms and Barthelasse Island) on two historical periods (1350 and 1675).
Improved thanks to short films, audio content and archive images, interviews, games and
music, these points of interest offer complementary, different reading levels.
The augmented reality images, obtained thanks to a last genera9on technology, allows a real
immersion in the original landscape, a voyage in the past.
The applica9on is available for free downloading on the online stores (link at the end of the
document).
Submi%ed to the Patrimoine & Innova9on(s) Prize, allocated by CLIC France, the applica9on
was awarded as the 1° best mobile applica9on, thanks to the internet votes.
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The Avignon Bridge (terrace of Jeanne Laurent)
Walk of Barthelasse Island
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Terrace of the Philippe le Bel Tower - Villeneuve les Avignon
This applica9on has been designed in the framework of the green digital route (see below).
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3. THE MULTIANNUAL & MULTIPARTNER ADMINISTRATIVE
FRAMEWORK
The development of the projects over several years and the partnership of many different
ins9tu9ons on the territory overlapping the river needed a custom-made administra9ve work.
• FIVE AGREEMENTS
•
•
•
•
An agreement between the Grand Avignon commi%ee and the CNRS had been signed
for three years (2011-2013) (delibera!on n°1 – 12/07/2010) and an amount of
144.309€ was allocated in order to enhance the result of the transversal researches
of: the laboratories of Avignon (LA3M and CIHAM), the laboratory of Marseille (MAP)
and the laboratory of Aix en Provence (CEREGE). The conven9on was prolonged to
2014 (addi!onal clause n°9 – 22/12/2011).
An agreement had been signed between CNRS and CNR for an amount of 38.958€ for
GA and 127.893€ for CNRS and data exchange (delibera!on n°9 22/12/2011).
A framework agreement on the partnership between CNR and CNRS and Grand
Avignon, signed on 17th April 2012, entrusted the opera9ons to Grand Avignon for the
2nd part and evokes a 3rd part.
An agreement between the Grand Avignon and the VLA established a financial support
from VLA for an amount of 30.000€ (delibera!on n°16 - 07/05/2104)
• THE CALL FOR TENDER AND THE MARKET
•
A tender was launched on September 2013 and passed for the amount of 109.410€
(excluding tax) with two socie9es (World Summit Award Prize winners): Art Graphique
& Patrimoine and GMT.
• THE TEMPORARY TRANSFER OF THE PROJECT SUPERVISION
•
The valorisa9on of the remains is today done and it allows the connec9on between
the tower and the bridge. The fiWng-out and compliance works have been the objects
of a TTMO of Villeneuve Lez Avignon at Grand Avignon.
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• A CROSS-CUTTING CONTROL COMMITTEE
The design and the implementa9on of the app has been an incessant dialogue between the
prac9cal staff and the digital expert team.
The control commi%ee has rapidly increased alongside the academic community. The CNR
engineers, the representa9ves of Avignon Tourism and of the Villeneuve-Lez-Avignon cultural
heritage service and the elected delegates to transports regularly gave contributes, in order to
implement a dynamic project on a simple concept: to op9mize the exis9ng.
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4. DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES
The idea of a “green digital route” is born by examining carefully the map and the path of river
- which is at the same 9me link and border of land - and crossing the different points of view
of the commi%ee.
• THE GREEN DIGITAL ROUTE
The green digital route connec9ng the bridge and the Philippe le Bel Tower is designed around
these elements:
Three interpreta on centres with devices on the bridge, at the Philippe le Bel Tower and at
the recep9on point of the Barthelasse Island: they expose the CNRS research work on the
3D Bridge and landscape reconstruc9on.
Four augmented reality points on two historical periods: 1350 and 1650
• Presented on each visi9ng tour (the Bridge and the Philippe le Bel Tower)
• Presented on the banks in the footpath on the both sides of the Barthelasse Island;
An enriched V2 of the applica on is planned for the beginning of 2016, taking into
account user reports and technological advances.
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The routes and circula on equipment with:
• Two river shu les on both arms of the Rhône on the both sides of the Island ;
• A walking and cycle path based on the following circuit:
♦ From the house on the Rhône edge, which belongs to the town, where a tourist
welcome point could be created: a tourist informa9on point + tablet and bike for rent
+ a tea room; here, close to the house, the third augmented reality point;
♦ Walking path in the northern part of the park/recrea on centre of Barthelasse (3m
wide to be fi%ed along the fence of the camp);
♦ Arrival at the second pier on the bank of the Rhône ac9ve arm (implementa9on of a
second pier, making safe of the road crossing-points) with 4° augmented reality point;
♦ Way back through a walking route on the edge of the field, with refurbishment of
the orchard (path close to the Reboul farm)
This digital route will be able to develop itself in synergy with the project of the port and the
natural park of the Piot Island p and with the arrival of Via Rhona on the Barthelasse Island.
The visits could been extended to the Pope Palace and to the Chartreuse of Villeneuve, on
digital subjects, taking into account of innova ve, mul media devices that are and con nue
to be deployed in these two monuments.
•
•
•
•
•
• A NEW FRAMEWORK FOR THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
The first agreement evoked a third part that will be defined later; today we are at this
turning point;
The President and the Vice-President of the new Grand Avignon community assembly
have approved the green digital route project study;
The CNR, standing partner of the project wants to contribute as part of its general
interest mission. This soN mobility and the river electric shu%les enter in its
immediate development projects;
The town of Avignon is willing to have a new valorisa9on phase for the rived land. A
new framework agreement can be signed specifying the contribu9on of each part to
the project;
At the end of the study we will ask the Languedoc-Roussillon region (today not
involved in the agreement) to complete the project and to give it the dimension it
deserves.
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5. CONCLUSION
Highly symbolic at territorial level, this project is an opportunity for a valuable unanimity,
synonymous with good governance and economic dynamism.
He has brought together a community of interests that wants to bring it even further.
The impact of the film realized on the bridge reconstruc9on and the applica9on have to lead
to a larger communica9on campaign. This campaign can enhance each partner of the project.
The reconstruc9on film and the applica9on expected impact have to lead to a wider
communica9on campaign that will provide each partner with value.
Beyond the conference (where the film has been showed), an event is planned to launch the
applica9on.
To revive the feats of our ancestors defying a wild river just by the force of their intelligence,
to rediscover the memory of the river, the legendary bridge and its original landscape, to make
accessible the river site, the Barthelasse Island and the Abbey plain: these are the promises of
this cultural, scien9fic and extraordinary adventure.
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Contacts :
Grand Avignon
Marc Andrieu - Responsable of heritage and cultural ac9vi9es mission
[email protected]
AGP :
Anne-Marie Tiberi
[email protected]
GMT :
Pierre Croizet
[email protected]
Website:
h%p://www.grandavignon.fr/
h%p://www.artgp.fr/
h%p://gmt-edi9ons.fr/
App teaser:
h%ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhPoIMo6sok
Downloading links:
h%ps://itunes.apple.com/fr/app/avignon-3d/id940443450?mt=8
h%ps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gmt.avignon3d
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