Bringing the Gonzaga Equestrian Heritage to Life: AI-Enhanced VR Storytelling for Cultural Dissemination
Loading...
Date
2025
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The Eurographics Association
Abstract
The dissemination of architectural and cultural heritage faces challenges in accessibility, engagement, participatory experience, and authenticity, particularly for sites with multi-layered historical narratives. Conventional approaches often fail to reconcile educational rigor with interactive appeal or to fully communicate the socio-political significance and spatial realism of heritage, limiting public connection and understanding. Advanced technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) offer new opportunities to bridge this gap by combining rigorous historiography with experiential storytelling. This study develops a hybrid digital framework integrating VR, photogrammetry, AI, and gamification to enhance the interpretation of the Gonzaga family's equestrian legacy in Mantova. Using UAV and terrestrial photogrammetry, we reconstructed three multi- era architectural sites (Cortile della Cavallerizza, Piazza Sordello, and Sala dei Cavalli) as high-resolution 3D models. AI algorithms generated historically consistent 3D characters and assets, while immersive VR environments developed via Unity Engine and Oculus SDK enabled users to explore narrative-driven scenarios tied to the horses' military, ceremonial, and diplomatic roles. The resulting VR application functions effectively, featuring interactive elements such as task completion and dynamic scene transitions, which may enhance spatial understanding and cultural appreciation. However, further studies involving user focus groups and feedback collection are needed to better assess its usability and overall impact.
Description
CCS Concepts: Applied computing → Architecture (buildings); Computing methodologies → Computer vision; Human-centered computing → Virtual reality
@inproceedings{10.2312:dh.20253282,
booktitle = {Digital Heritage},
editor = {Campana, Stefano and Ferdani, Daniele and Graf, Holger and Guidi, Gabriele and Hegarty, Zackary and Pescarin, Sofia and Remondino, Fabio},
title = {{Bringing the Gonzaga Equestrian Heritage to Life: AI-Enhanced VR Storytelling for Cultural Dissemination}},
author = {You, Zhou and Treccani, Daniele and Adami, Andrea},
year = {2025},
publisher = {The Eurographics Association},
ISBN = {978-3-03868-277-6},
DOI = {10.2312/dh.20253282}
}