Katatexilux: 20 Years of Virtual Reconstruction in Archaeology and Architecture

Founded in 2002 by architect Raffaele Carlani and Stefano Borghini (who left in 2011), the Rome-based studio Katatexilux specializes in the virtual reconstruction of ancient architecture and cultural heritage using high technology and computer science. The studio's breakthrough project was the virtual reconstruction of Nero's Domus Aurea, which allowed visitors to experience the original light and spatial qualities that are now buried underground due to the Flavian emperors' damnatio memoriae. Other notable projects include the interactive multimedia Virtual Ara Pacis and the film Domus Aurea 1774. Carlani emphasizes that while the scientific rigor and attention to sources remain unchanged, the studio continuously evolves its communicative language, drawing from cinema and performing arts to use emotion as a didactic tool. He criticizes the current trend of "digital pollution" in cultural spaces, advocating for "silence and absence" in multimedia installations to let monuments speak for themselves. Current projects include the Grand Tour platform for guided tours via app in 11 Umbrian municipalities, a major Ales project for archaeological sites across Italy, and collaborations with universities like Sapienza University of Rome on experimental projects in Italy and abroad. Carlani notes that augmented reality on wearable devices is still immature for museum contexts, but computer vision and interactive installations are widely used.