Accademia Aldo Galli Restores Lake Como Gondola with Digital Tools

The Accademia Aldo Galli di Como – IED Group, led by director Nicoletta Castellaneta and professor Francesco Pusterla, is restoring a historic gondola from Lake Como in collaboration with the Museo Barca Lariana. The project uses photogrammetry to create 3D models, enabling precise analysis, digital preservation, and design of restoration interventions. Students captured images with artificial lighting or overcast skies for uniform illumination, then processed them with photogrammetry software requiring minimal manual input. The resulting models can be sectioned and measured within centimeters, serving as bases for restoration planning and digital archiving. Future steps include physical restoration and development of a collaborative software system through a PNRR grant. Pusterla highlighted digital fabrication (3D printing, laser cutting, CNC milling) for creating custom supports or missing parts, and augmented/virtual reality for visualizing reconstructions. AI can automatically detect deterioration and material issues, similar to medical diagnostics. Castellaneta emphasized the project's synthesis of art, design, and conservation science. The cover of Artribune Magazine features the gondola, symbolizing this fusion. The initiative is part of Fragile Surface, a project showcasing student and alumni multimedia works on contemporary themes, inspired by major art and design biennials.