INFOGRAPHIC MODELING BASED ON 3D LASER SURVEYING FOR INFORMED UNIVERSAL DESIGN IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL AREAS: THE CASE OF OPPIDUM OF THE ANCIENT CITY OF TUSCULUM

The valorisation of archaeological sites represents a fundamental action for the social and economic development of a country, especially if its territory is rich of cultural heritage as Italy. An archaeological park is often a territory characterized by significant testimonies of antiquity of great landscape value. For this reason, it should be configured as an authentic outdoor museum, enriched by natural, environmental, architectural and urban components. In order to fulfill these requirements, it is fundamental the elaboration of a coherent scientific project of preservation, fruition and valorisation of the area, which merge the different components necessary for the establishment of an archaeological museum-park. One of the most critical aspects related to the fruition of archaeological sites is the accessibility to areas and paths, not always – if ever – designed for people with reduced mobility, also temporary (for example elderly, obese, visually impaired, etc.). In general, an established principle used in the new design is to pay attention to the so-called wide users, in accordance with the international guidelines summarized in the concept of Universal Design. However, when we intervene in a historical and artistic context, this approach poses various difficulties due to the complex morphology typical of the archaeological sites and to design approaches on issues such as the inviolability of antiquities. These difficulties are mostly reflected in the overcoming architectural and natural barriers. In this scenario, this work is part of an ongoing research project regarding the digitization of architectural, archaeological and cultural heritage present in the Tusculum, an area located in the south-east of Rome. The aim of this project is to create an open database for the documentation and the virtual use of the monuments and historical buildings present in this area, complemented with historical research, iconographic documents and archives. Taking advantage of the latest methodologies and technologies of three-dimensional survey (laser scanning and photogrammetry) and the potential offered by the Information and Communications Technology fields, significant positive effects are expected on the scientific research, cataloguing, preservation, conservation, valorisation and fruition of this important cultural heritage. In particular, this paper presents the use of three-dimensional models obtained from laser scanning surveys for the design of paths for people with reduced mobility in the Tusculum Archaeological-Cultural Park. Spread out over an area over 70 hectares, this archaeological site houses the remains of the ancient city of Tusculum (including theatre dating from the I century BC, among various evidence recently discovered), was built even before Rome and was destroyed in 1191 by Pope Celestino III. The research was focused on the area of the archaeological site corresponding to the eastern part of the Oppidum of Tusculum. The work was based on the fundamental implementation of the three-dimensional survey with terrestrial laser scanning for the construction and the control of the complex morphology of the site, and on the subsequent integration of models of the intervention in the three-dimensional reality "as-built" of the site. The obtained infographic model allowed to study and simulate the impact of the paths for people with reduced mobility, and to verify its efficiency in the historical and landscape context. Moreover, it was possible to verify the construction of other facilities in the real conditions of the site.