Optimizing 3D models of endangered Cultural Heritage (Opt3D)

A critical analysis of AI- and Human-generated HBIM models for Jewish Heritage Sites in East Central Europe

Duration

2026 - 2029

Applicant

Herder-Institut für historische Ostmitteleuropaforschung – Institut der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft

https://www.herder-institut.de/

https://www.facebook.com/HerderInstitut

https://www.instagram.com/herder_institut/

Co-operation partner

Hochschule Mainz

https://www.hs-mainz.de/en/

Co-operation partner

Technische Universität Braunschweig

https://www.tu-braunschweig.de/

Co-operation partner

TIB Leibniz-Informationszentrum

https://www.tib.eu/de/

Project manager

Dr. Dietmar Popp GND

Project coordinator

Sławomir Brzezicki GND

Project manager

Prof. Dr. Ina Blünl GND

Project manager

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Piotr Kuroczyński GND

Project coordinator

Dr. Jan Lutteroth GND

Project manager

Prof. Dr. -Ing. Ulrich Knufinke GND

Laufzeit

2026 - 2029

This project explores how 3D digital tools can help preserve and study historical buildings, particularly Jewish heritage sites from early modern Poland-Lithuania. Many of these structures have endured significant changes due to conflicts and renovations, making their histories complex to document.

Current methods for digitizing cultural heritage lack global standards and often create fragmented data. By combining expertise from multiple fields and leveraging AI tools, the project aims to develop reliable techniques for processing and modelling historical data. The goal is to create sustainable, accessible research methods for preserving endangered heritage, setting a new standard for digital cultural studies.

Die ehemalige Synagoge in Novoselytsia, aus: Kat. Ausst. „How Goodly Are Thy Tents, O Jacob…“ - Wandmalereien in Bukowiner Synagogen, Museums für die Geschichte und Kultur der bukowinischen Juden in Czernowitz, Cherznowitz / Ukraine, 2026, S. 73. x, CC BY-SA 4.0