Infrastructure firm Acciona has recreated a 12th-century arch from the Monastery of San Pedro de las Dueñas, which is exhibited in the garden of Spain’s National Archaeological Museum in Madrid. The replica is described by the company as the "first architectural item of cultural heritage to be reproduced full-scale by means of 3D printing in concrete".
The original Dueñas Arch was built between 1100 and 1150 AD, and is 2.2m high and 3.3m wide. Acciona used a D-Shape 3D printer to create the replica. It also scanned 30 works from the museum’s collection, including pieces ranging from the late Roman and Visigoth periods (fourth to seventh centuries), from the Andalusi and Mudejar collections (eighth to 15th centuries), and others from medieval Christianity (ninth to 15th centuries).
The original arch (Luis GarcÃa/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 3.0)
The scanned are displayed on a touch screen in the museum’s Medieval room, where visitors can virtually manipulate objects.
Acciona says the digital models can help with future restorations by means of 3D printing. Juan Ignacio Entrecanales, Acciona executive vice chairman, said: "This project has demonstrated the immense potential that new technologies such as 3D printing have for the preservation, dissemination, restoration and accessibility of cultural heritage."
Top image courtesy of Acciona
