Virtual 3D-reconstruction of key buildings of the Baranchinsky plant in the Perm Province at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries (source studies and technological aspects)

• Published in: Исторический журнал: научные исследования no. 2; pp. 34 - 53
• Main Author: Gasanov, Arsenii
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.02.2025
• ISSN: 2454-0609; 2454-0609
• DOI: 10.7256/2454-0609.2025.2.73752

This article is dedicated to the process of virtual 3D reconstruction of the manufacturing complex of the Barancha plant in the Perm region, with the turn of the 19th-20th centuries chosen as the time period for reconstruction, representing the peak of the enterprise's development and the most documented period. The architectural design of the blast furnaces, executed by architect A.Z. Komarov, is an outstanding and unique example of Ural industrial architecture. The history of the plant is associated with the names of V.N. Demidov and P.I. Shuvалов, and it was visited by an expedition led by D.I. Mendeleev. The Barancha plant was built in 1743, and its long history included periods of prosperity and decline, while its unique architecture, influenced by the characteristics of the region and the time period, makes the plant an interesting subject for virtual reconstruction. The main aspects under consideration are the work with historical sources in the context of virtual reconstruction of cultural and industrial heritage, particularly the methods of virtual 3D reconstruction, and the issues of selecting and applying software. The novelty of the work lies in the approach to industrial heritage within the field of virtual 3D reconstruction, as well as the scale of the reconstructed object, which consists of an entire complex of buildings, summarizing the experience of working with sources and software in the development of virtual 3D reconstructions. Currently, most historical buildings of the Barancha plant have been destroyed, which makes the choice of it as an object for reconstruction particularly relevant. The work presents images of several sources depicting the visual appearance of the plant, supported by their descriptions and classifications, screenshots of the reconstruction process demonstrating the technical solutions employed, as well as final visualizations (renders) of the complex of buildings that were the subject of virtual reconstruction. All work on the virtual 3D reconstruction was carried out using free software – the 3D editor Blender.