Interactive and Immersive Dynamic Perspectives: A Case Study of Piazza Castello in Turin

This contribution describes an interesting experience of reconstructive digital modeling related to a project of significant documentary relevance attributed to a young Alessandro Antonelli (1798-1888). During his training period in Rome, the architect proposed an intervention project for Piazza Castello in Turin. The proposal's outcome is contained within six crafted panels accompanied by extensive archival, graphical, and textual material, currently shown at the exhibition “Neoclassicisms in Turin. From the 18th century to the young Antonelli” at the Accademia delle Belle Arti in Turin. The static nature of the original representations can be overcome by defining new digital environments that track Antonelli's proposal and the current configuration of the urban space. The proposed solution enables a virtual tour inside a navigable and immersive space equipped with the architect's original drawings. In the second part of the experience, participants find themselves immersed in the unusual space of Piazza Castello, with the possibility to move within the urban scene, capturing unconventional viewpoints that technical representations in mongian projections cannot convey. The experience also serves as an opportunity to critically reflect on the definitions of interactive and immersive dynamic perspectives, analysing their various components, from presence to immersion to embodiment, about modes of spatial exploration and the combined use of movement and orientation. These elements complement the visual perception of three-dimensional digital environments. These strategic activities shape the definition of the image in virtual reality environments based on three-dimensional models. The objective is twofold: firstly, to enhance the visitor experience at the Accademia by integrating original drawings with new multimedia content to supplement the physical experience; secondly, perhaps even more relevant from a disciplinary point of view, to identify a balance between user action and the adopted narrative model.