THE VIRTUAL CITIES PROJECT
University of Calgary Press
University of Calgary
2500 University Dr. NW
Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
GST #
Contacts:
Richard M. Levy, PhD, MCIP
Associate Professor of Urban Planning
Director of Computing
Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary
Off: (403) 220-3633
Fax: (403) 284-4399
Email: rmlevy@ucalgary.ca
www.ucalgary.ca/~rmlevy
www.phimai.ca
Prof. Gerard Lachapelle
Head and Professor
Canada Research Chair and iCore chair in Wireless Location
Geomatics Engineering
Off: (402) 220-7104
Fax: (403) 284-1980
Email: Lachaple@geomatics.ucalgary.ca
www.geomatics.ucalgary.ca
Jackie Bell
Development Initiatives Manager, University of Calgary Press
Off:(403) 220-6616
Fax: (403) 282-0085
Email: bell@ucalgary.ca
Amount Requested:
Year One: $378,435
Year Two: $370,135
Table of Contents
Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 3
1.0 Project Description.................................................................................................................................. 4
1.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 4
1.2 Project Purpose and Objectives .......................................................................................................... 5
1.3 Proof of Public Interest ....................................................................................................................... 5
1.4 Project Benefits .................................................................................................................................. 6
1.5 Project Partners ................................................................................................................................... 7
1.6 Individual Project Contributors .......................................................................................................... 9
1.7 Target Audiences ................................................................................................................................ 9
1.8 Digitization Standards ...................................................................................................................... 10
1.9 Complement to Existing Programs ................................................................................................... 10
1.10 Achieving Bilingualism .................................................................................................................. 10
2.0 Milestones ............................................................................................................................................. 11
2.1 Phase One: (April 1, 2002 – March 31, 2003).................................................................................. 11
2.2 Phase Two: (April 1, 2003 – March 31, 2004) ................................................................................. 13
3.0 Proposed Budget ................................................................................................................................... 15
3.1 Total Cash Costs ............................................................................................................................... 15
3.2 In-kind amounts and revenues .......................................................................................................... 15
3.3 Need for CCOP Funding (Phase One) .............................................................................................. 16
3.4 Additional financial support ............................................................................................................. 16
4.0 Copyright Issues.................................................................................................................................... 17
5.0 Marketing Plan ...................................................................................................................................... 17
5.1 Target Market Groups ...................................................................................................................... 17
5.2 Marketing Activities ......................................................................................................................... 17
5.3 Sponsor Acknowledgment................................................................................................................ 19
Appendix A: Budget ................................................................................................................................... 20
Appendix B: Intellectual Property Representations .................................................................................... 21
Appendix C: List and Curriculum Vitaes of Individual Project Contributors ............................................ 22
Appendix D: Letters of Support .................................................................................................................. 24
Appendix E: Standards and Guidelines ...................................................................................................... 25
Appendix F: List of Materials to be Digitized ............................................................................................ 26
Appendix G: Audited Financial Statement ................................................................................................. 28
Virtual Cities Project (VCP)
2
Request to the Canadian Culture Online Program, Partnerships Fund, from
Richard M. Levy, PhD, MCIP (Faculty of Environmental Design, University of
Calgary) and Dr. Gerard Lachapelle (Head and Professor, Canada Research Chair
and iCore Chair in Wireless Location Geomatics Engineering)
Project Title: The Virtual Cities Project (VCP)
Executive Summary
With the advancement in the development of virtual reality (VR) applications and computer hardware, it is now
possible to reconstruct entire cities as interactive environments without the need for million dollar computers.
Featuring collaboration amongst the University of Calgary, Laval University and McGill University as well as a
team of individual researchers, the Virtual Cities Project (VCP) will create an interactive world of history and urban
planning, where visitors to a virtual world are given a glimpse into the exciting past and present lives of Canadian
communities. These “travelers” can view artifacts, printed text, architectural drawings, film and video from digital
archives linked to this virtual world.
Through virtual tour guides, links to multimedia, and the Internet, the public will be provided with an exciting
window into Canada’s past, beginning with interactive computer models of Calgary and Montreal as they currently
exist and as they looked in the past. As a platform for historical inquiry, this virtual time machine will serve many
users: scholars, students, residents and tourists. Virtual copies of cities will also assist in plans for community
development and allow for the evaluation of public policy.
The VCP will supplement educational instruction at primary, secondary and university levels by linking existing
digital archives of text documents, photos, and audio and video files to a virtual world. Using the documents and
media catalogued in the database, students and the general public will learn about the history of Calgary and
Montreal as they walk through these virtual environments built from data collected by a new generation 3D scanner.
For the virtual Calgary community, collections to be digitized include the Canadian Architectural Archives and the
Map Library. For the virtual Montreal community, collections to be digitized include maps and photos of the historic
city and architectural data including plans not already part of digital databases from the Canadian Architecture
Collection (CAC) and the Canadian Center for Architecture (CCA). To ensure that content on the VCP site is
credible, materials will be peer-reviewed.
The majority of the materials to be digitized are in the public domain; written copyright clearance will be obtained
prior to digitization where required. Data acquired from 3D scanning will become the property of the University of
Calgary, McGill University, and those contributing to the VCP. The front-end, or user-accessible, section of the web
site and search engine will be available in both English and French, and the site will adhere to metadata standards
based on the Dublin Core.
The pan-Canadian participants of the VCP are committed to developing applications that provide access to virtual
Canadian communities at no cost to the user. We wish to create a 3D world for exploring urban history that builds
on existing archival sources and adds to Canada’s collection of digital resources. These virtual models will be an
important demonstration project that internationally showcases 3D scanning and virtual reality technologies used in
Canadian education and virtual heritage.
Innovative projects that serve the public good require government funding. The VCP will serve as a vital portal to
important Canadian documents and therefore represents a responsible investment. To realize the goals of the project,
the VCP formally requests funding of $378,435 for Phase One of a two-year project from the Canadian Culture
Online Program to support this innovative endeavor.
Virtual Cities Project (VCP)
3
Request to the Canadian Culture Online Program, Partnerships Fund, from
Richard M. Levy, PhD, MCIP (Faculty of Environmental Design, University of
Calgary) and Dr. Gerard Lachapelle (Head and Professor, Canada Research Chair
and iCore Chair in Wireless Location Geomatics Engineering)
Project Title: The Virtual Cities Project (VCP)
1.0 Project Description
1.1 Introduction
The modeling of modern and historic cities in VR space can take the student, scholar or tourist both to cities of
today and to those of the past. The new technology of 3D projection allows these models to be experienced as virtual
tours.
As laboratories for historic research and vehicles of public education, existing virtual models offer visitors an
opportunity to walk through Ancient Rome, Bologna, Pompeii, and Jerusalem. 1 Interactive 3D models of Bath,
Berlin, Vienna, New York and Philadelphia now serve as laboratories for testing urban planning policy.
Transportation planning, tourism management and security analysis are a few of the functions now served by these
VR models.2 Most notably, a virtual model of Los Angeles developed by researchers at UCLA gives planners and
members of the community an interactive environment for testing the impact of urban policy on the physical form of
the city.3,4
The VCP celebrates the cultural heritage of Canada by creating a unique place where all Canadians, as well as nonresidents, can visit to learn about the history of urban life in both of Canada’s official languages.
As a demonstration project, one or our goals is to stimulate the creation of similar sites for additional cities across
Canada. With this aim, technology created during the course of the project will be shared with institutions that have
a desire to create interactive worlds for public education.
Additionally, to ensure that the site plays a significant role in educational programming at all levels of instruction, a
series of self-guided tours and teachers’ websites will be created that are intended to complement curriculum.
The VCP is committed to the dissemination of all Internet products generated as a result of this work. Publications,
video releases, strong Internet presence, press conferences, professional conferences and media articles are some of
the avenues that will be pursued to promote the VCP and its sponsors to the public.
Virtual models of Canadian communities therefore serve the public interest in a number of ways:

Issues of historic preservation, zoning and architectural guidelines can be addressed inside a virtual
environment, as can development plans for individual sites and master plans for entire communities;

Virtual models provide an important resource for those involved in the conservation of the historic buildings by
preserving an archival record that can be used to monitor the condition of individual architectural monuments;

Virtual models provide an important resource for teaching art and architecture from primary and secondary
levels through college and lifelong learning programs;
The models can help planners and managers working with communities to establish community goals;


By visualizing possible development scenarios, community members have the means to evaluate whether or not
potential actions will support the needs of the community;

Virtual environments facilitate negotiation among concerned parties (city officials, land developers and
community members) by offering an alternative to static plan reviews currently used in planning exercises;
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
Consideration of vehicular and pedestrian access, traffic flow, security, and conformance with zoning and
architectural guidelines could be tested using an urban simulator;

With the growth of high speed communication, virtual models will become an important resource in the
promotion of tourism and local cultural activities.
Today, both 3D laser scanning and digital photography are critical tools required for the preservation of information
on historic and archaeological sites. Issues of form such as scale, building topology, land use and transportation
could be viewed in conjunction with the development of each city’s political, social and technological history.
Visitors will have the ability to explore the spatial dimensions of each city via a virtual walking tour.
1.2 Project Purpose and Objectives
Virtual models can be explored by all citizens of the Internet's “global village” and will allow for an even greater
depth of understanding of Canada’s history. Within these specific plans, the VCP has four broad objectives:

Build an appreciation among extant and future generations of Canadians for their shared heritage;

Stimulate interest in the capabilities of interactive 3D web based technology for the communication of
educational content and the advancement of scholarly research;

Preserve Canadian architectural history by establishing a digital architectural record for the preservation and
conservation of heritage assets;

Promote public access to Canadian archival materials in both French and English.
Worldwide, there is a lack of content that explores the capability of virtual worlds on the web. Architectural
monuments have only been accessible to visitors in the geographic location of the architecture in question, and some
remains are experiencing rapid rates of decay due to excessive visitation to the sites.
Many cities are creating virtual models of their downtown business districts in order to better understand critical
design issues, promote public discussion and understand municipal policy. Canadian communities could also benefit
from the use of this technology in urban planning.
Additionally, several research questions related to the use of 3D virtual models have yet to be answered. What level
of interactivity can be attained with 3D models? What benefits are inherent in virtual environments shared by a
variety of stakeholders? How do traditional survey techniques compare with 3D scanning technology? How are the
large and complex 3D models remotely accessed given a limited bandwidth? How should the heterogeneous and
time-varying 3D contents in the Internet environment be organized? How are the real world models surveyed using
the innovative 3D scanning technology?
In specific terms, the VCP intends to make virtual models of Calgary and Montreal available to the people of
Canada and to the rest of the world. The first phase of this goal will be accomplished through successfully creating a
working prototype that will allow visitors to participate in virtual walkthroughs of each city. The second phase of
this project will focus on completing a virtual model for the City of Calgary as it existed in 1905, and for Montreal
as it existed in the nineteenth century.
1.3 Proof of Public Interest
The audience for web based historical sources is wide reaching and growing rapidly. Internet access in Canada has
grown dramatically in the last decade, with an estimated 70% of Canadian adults having access to the web. 5 In
addition, over 90% of Canadian school age children and all university students have access to the Internet through
classrooms, labs and libraries.6
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More recently, the increase in access to the web through cable providers now makes it possible to deliver data
demanding greater bandwidth. Researchers now estimate that 39% of all households in Canada have high-speed
connections to the web, and over 50% are expected to have high-speed connections by early 2003.7 Canadians will
expect 3D virtual worlds to be part of their online experience. This project will satisfy that need by providing the
public with interactive virtual worlds that will give visitors the experience of traveling through Canada’s past.
The VCP (scheduled for completion in 2005) is therefore a timely project, as both Calgary and Montreal are
anticipating major historical celebrations in the near future. Calgary will celebrate its centennial in 2005, and
Montreal will celebrate its 365th anniversary in 2007. Both communities will benefit from the construction of virtual
cities that give the public access to each city’s architectural heritage.
1.4 Project Benefits
The VCP benefits a wide range of users and addresses a number of important issues, including:

Public access: The VCP provides worldwide access to important documents and physical artifacts through
creating the virtual Canadian cities of Calgary and Montreal, enabling all Canadians to explore and share a
common cultural experience regardless of their physical location. A consistent, user-friendly interface
accessible from anywhere with an Internet connection provides the setting where visitors will be able to view
and compare architectural drawings, photos and computer models based on scanned data.

General Education: Students and the general public will have a vehicle for exploring the physical form of
cities. By building a virtual re-creation of past worlds, visitors will be able to discover the connection between
social and physical history. Questions of demography and economic development and physical form will be
facilitated through this tool that permits the exploration of both spatial and historical space.

School Curriculum: The development of virtual models of Calgary and Montreal will allow for comparative
studies of these cities at different points in Canadian history, allowing students to compare the forms of cities
from important periods in Canadian history (e.g. Montreal during the period of early colonization and
industrialization; Calgary during the heights of railroad expansion across North America). Teachers and
students will be able to use in their studies of local histories. As part of a classroom assignment, they could be
given a problem to solve, or be asked to serve as mayor or as a member of city council; using the documents
and media catalogued in the database, students can then learn about the history of Calgary or Montreal.

Comparative Studies: Virtual models will allow for comparative studies of Calgary and Montreal at different
periods in Canadian history, giving visitors worldwide an opportunity to virtually visit Canadian sites and
understand how Canadian communities have been altered by time.

Digital Preservation: The digitization of cultural artifacts to a resolution of 0.5mm allows sites to be shown as
complete architectural forms without endangering archeological data from these sensitive sites.8 A tendency to
reconstruct ruins in order to make them safer and more attractive to tourists exists; in the process of rebuilding
sites, existing remains may be destroyed. Virtual representation leaves the site intact, allows alternative
interpretations of the original to be viewed, and can protect historically important architectural and
archaeological remains from excessive visitation.

Improved Access to Collections: The VCP will improve global access to various digitized collections by
linking to the following repositories (for a detailed description of collections, please see Appendix F):
Insurance Maps, University of Calgary; Map Collection, University of Calgary; Canadian Architectural
Archives (CAA); John Bland Collection of Canadian Architecture, McGill University; The Canadian Center for
Architecture; National Archives of Canada; National Archives of Quebec; Vieux-Montreal Database; City of
Montreal, Engineering and Planning.

Promotion of Canadian Tourism: Visitors will be able to explore Calgary and Montreal via a virtual walking
tour, setting the stage for trips to major historic sites. For Montreal, the 3D models will be linked to the existing
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Vieux-Montreal database. In Calgary, a new site will be created to explore the historic fabric of downtown.

Promotion of National Standards: The development of the proposed site will be critical to promotion of
national standards on the preservation of 3D data. This project will serve as an important depository for 3D
architectural data on Canada’s most important heritage sites using international standards. Using ortho photos
and measured drawings data historic buildings available from the City of Montreal’s Department of
Engineering, it will be possible to compare different methods of collecting 3D data. Few studies comparing data
collected from 3D scanners with that collected using more traditional methods have been performed. These
findings, available from the VCP website, will be critical to researchers and managers in their efforts to
document historic sites around the world. The site will also be fully searchable in both French and English using
accepted metadata standards.

Urban Planning and Policy: An interactive 3D-based approach to urban planning allows for the examination
of critical issues in the design of cities. Scale, density, public access, open space, zoning, viewscapes, sun and
shade are some of the design issues that can be addressed in an interactive world. It is not uncommon in the
planning of large scale architectural projects to use CAD throughout the design cycle to develop concepts, and
produce renderings, animations and the final working drawings. In the last decade, many cities have embarked
on the creation of fully detailed virtual models of their downtown business districts. These digital models will
enable communities to visualize the debate of issues critical to the design of their cities, and will help to
promote public discussion and understanding of municipal policy concerned with the built form.

Empowerment: Provincial and national collaboration on this project will allow Canadians, NGO’s, community
groups and associations to gain access to a wealth of data on their physical environments, providing them with
information needed to make informed decisions concerning public policy.

Demonstration of Technology: This project will incorporate the leading edge capabilities of researchers in the
fields of computer science, geomatics engineering, urban planning and information science, serving as a
showcase of Canadian technology, partnership and research.

Expandability: Maintaining standards on data capture and metadata will ensure that this database remains
scalable, expandable and able to be enhanced by future technological developments.

Research advancement: The VCP will enable researchers to: establish the level of interactivity in 3D worlds
that can be achieved with both high speed and Internet connections, comparing 3D performance and
interactivity level on standalone systems and remotely controlled systems; evaluate 3D web-based content for
research, public education and community-based planning, where experts from historic preservation, urban
planning and education work with researchers to evaluate the value of these shared virtual environments;
demonstrate how 3D laser scanning technology can be used to create the models used in virtual environments
by comparing traditional survey techniques with 3D scanning technology; achieve the rapid and realistic
reconstruction of physical objects using 3D laser scanning technology; develop web-based distributed 3D object
computing technologies to support Internet-based large and complex 3D model dynamic structuring,
progressive transmission and interactive manipulation, and explore the next generation of computer interfaces
for research, education and entertainment through the use of these virtual worlds as windows into existing
digital databases.
1.5 Project Partners
Dr. Richard M. Levy, MCIP, Co-Lead Researcher, Associate Professor of Urban Planning
Director of Computing, Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary
Dr. Levy's research has focused on the use of 3D computer modeling, GIS and computer visualization as a decisionmaking tool in the evaluation of urban development projects and for historic resource management. Working with
Dr. Robert Wiesnner, United Nations, Dr. Levy developed a computer model that was used by government officials
to test alternative concepts favoring preservation of traditional housing patterns for the Noi Khlong and Om Canals
area outside of Bangkok. Without future regulation, the present rate of development will seriously mar these areas
for tourists, as is already the case in some of the more established urbanized areas of Bangkok. Dr. Levy’s work was
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critical to the development of new design guidelines that would preserve the scenic value of this historic district. In
collaboration with Dr. Walter Jamieson, director of the Urban Management Program at the Asian Institute of
Technology, Dr. Levy also reconstructed the twelfth century United Nations World Heritage Site of Phimai,
Thailand, a walled complex of reconstructed temples, libraries and ancillary structures that is one of the most
delicately detailed historical monuments to be virtually recreated. The reconstruction is innovative in computer
visualization because Levy’s 3D models promote the use of computer modeling as an important tool in the
management of heritage resources.
Currently, in collaboration with other researchers, Dr. Levy is reconstructing a virtual reality model of an Inuvialuit
sod house found in the McKenzie Delta region, NWT. The work, which is being done for the Prince of Wales Northern
Heritage Centre, Yellowknife, will be used as part of a museum and public education program on the North. As an
educational laboratory, this virtual world will offer a framework for understanding the development of past cultures.
Dr. Gerard Lachapelle, Co-Lead Researcher, Head and Professor
Canada Research Chair and iCore chair in Wireless Location, Geomatics Engineering, University of Calgary
As a result of Dr. Lachapelle’s work, several software packages featuring his work in satellite positioning have been
developed and are currently being licensed to various industrial and government groups worldwide through
University Technologies International, a wholly-own subsidiary of The University of Calgary. The many novel
applications of satellite positioning in which Dr. Lachapelle has been involved include precision farming, aircraft-toaircraft positioning, vehicular navigation, shipborne positioning and attitude determination. He is widely published
in this area and has received major awards for his research contributions. Dr. Lachapelle is also involved in teaching
professional courses related to satellite positioning and navigation. He holds a CRC/iCORE Chair in Wireless
Location since early 2001.
Prof. Mathew Taite, Associate Researcher
Assistant Professor, Department of Geomatics Engineering, University of Calgary
Dr. Tait spent several years in industry, using close-range measurement techniques such as close-range
photogrammetry, laser scanners, and precision theodolites on engineering structures requiring retro-fit work. During
this time he gained a great deal of experience in these systems, and in the needs of the engineers in terms of
dimensional information. His research interests lie in the fields of industrial measurement systems and
methodologies, and the closer integration of metrology, 3D modeling, and spatial information systems, particularly
for the chemical process industry.
Prof. N. El-Sheimy, Associate Researcher
Assistant Professor, Department of Geomatics Engineering, University of Calgary
Dr. El-Sheimy has 14 years of experience in Geomatics Engineering. His research interests include multi-sensor
systems, mobile mapping systems, real-time kinematic positioning, and digital photogrammetry and their
applications in mapping and Geospatial Information Systems (GIS). Previously, Dr. El-Sheimy held the position of
VP Research and Development with VISAT Technologies Inc., a high-tech company in Montreal. There he
envisioned, implemented and directed the development of several commercial-grade systems for processing and
georeferencing of close range digital imagery, automated 3D mapping, and GIS applications. He has developed
software packages for integrating, synchronizing, calibrating, and georeferencing digital frame images using
GPS/INS systems. As a result of his industrial and research expertise, Dr. El-Sheimy was invited to Chair the
International Association of Geodesy's Special Working Group on Mobile Multi-sensor Systems (the IAG SC4WG1) and the International Federation of Surveyors C5-WG3 on Kinematic Real-Time Precise Positioning. He is
the recipient of numerous awards for his research work in Mobile Multi-Sensor Systems including the IEEE VNIS
Best Paper Prize, The ION Best Paper Award, and the ISPRS Best Young Author Award.
Prof. Vincent Tao, Canada Research Chair in Geomatics, Geospatial Information and Communication
Technology Lab, Faculty of Pure and Applied Science, York University
Funded by the Canada Research Chair program and Canadian Foundation for Innovation, the GeoICT lab directed
by Prof. Vinvent Tao is building a distributed 3D server/browser system to make the digital terrain models and the
associated images/maps of the entire Canada available over the Internet. We expect a close partnership with Prof
Tao in this project in order to facilitate sharing the resources and data sets.
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Four major educational institutions have also been selected to collaborate on the VCP. These partners were chosen
by Richard M. Levy based on previous project experience, financial and physical resources, access to personnel who
are appropriately qualified to carry out the project, and the ability to provide both French and English versions of the
site. Please see Appendix D for formal letters of support.
University of Calgary Press, Project Coordinator
The University of Calgary Press possesses the expertise required to coordinate the proposed digitization project. The
U of C Press has established a solid reputation for multiple forms of digital publishing and dissemination of
electronic information. In addition to publishing electronic journals, innovative multimedia serials, and successful
electronic research for the Humanities and Social Sciences Federation of Canada, the U of C Press has developed
expertise in the construction and development of historical web sites through two successful endeavors: Our Future,
Our Past: The Alberta Heritage Digitization Project (see www.alberta2005.org) and The Canadian Digital Local
History Site (currently in development).
McGill University, Partner
McGill University is the repository for The Canadian Architecture Collection (CAC), an important resource for
architecture and urban planning research. The collection of photographs, drawings, and documentation represent the
development of architecture in the city of Montreal. Working with staff and faculty at the CAC, the Department of
Geography, School of Urban Planning will enable the VCP to create a web-based research tool that unites virtual 3D
worlds with the primary source documents.
Working together, the project coordinator and associate project coordinator will:
 Assign responsibilities to all partners involved in this project
 Ensure standards on data collections and storage are maintained
 Ensure that metadata standards are adhered to when cataloguing all data
 Maintain all equipment used in the VCP
 Train all staff involved in storage, metatagging, and the use of the data collection
 Provide coordination, including project management and reporting on project status to CCOP
 Coordinate the academic review of content displayed on the site
 Provide accounting for all expenses and revenues
 Provide expertise on electronic publishing, copyright and copyright clearance services
 Oversee the development of the proposed website in both French and English
 Provide public recognition of all funding sources and government involvement in the activities of the VCP
1.6 Individual Project Contributors
For a detailed list of individual researchers from across Canada who are contributing specific expertise to the VCP,
and who are qualified to carry out the project, please see Appendix C. For formal letters of support, please see
Appendix D.
1.7 Target Audiences
Virtual models such as those proposed by the VCP are intended for a wide variety of users: students, educators, the
general public, land developers, urban planners, policy makers, and others. Fully searchable, these models can serve
as virtual time machines, giving visitors the ability to view Canadian architectural heritage at a particular moment in
history through the technology of digital preservation, while furthering Canada’s capacity as a technological nation.
The VCP will allow Canadian urban planners to explore design options with the Canadian public, informing
community and corporate discussion. The project will also provide Canadians with a critical digital resource
dedicated to the preservation of our architectural heritage. With access to high-speed broadband services for all
Canadians, this project will establish a new standard for the delivery of historical spatial information. The VCP
therefore provides significant benefits to a variety of user groups.
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In addition to these public benefits, VCP participants will also be able to explore a number of research issues,
thereby contributing to the scientific community in Canada by continuing to build Canada’s reputation for
technological competence.
1.8 Digitization Standards
The VCP will adhere to standards and guidelines established under the CCOP Standards and Guidelines for
Digitization Projects (version 2.3). For a specific explanation of how the VCP will adhere to the Standards and
Guidelines for Digitization Projects established by CCOP, please see Appendix E.
1.9 Complement to Existing Programs
The VCP will incorporate and augment the work of digitization projects across Canada. In creating a virtual world,
digitized data from archives and libraries will be used as a basis for creating an accurate historic reconstruction.
Coordinating with the activities of ongoing projects will enable the VCP to incorporate existing digital data and web
sites into the VCP site, facilitating interoperability, national collaboration and long-term access to Canadian digital
resources. These sources include:

The Canadian Digital Local History Site (CDLHS): The CDLHS, funded by the Canadian Digital Cultural
Content Initiative, directed by the Canadian Initiative for Digital Libraries (CIDL), and coordinated by the
University of Calgary Press, is currently in the process of digitizing 300,000 French and English local histories
from coast to coast in Year One of a three-year national project. Upon project completion, it is estimated that
over 750,000 local histories will have been digitized.

The Alberta Heritage Digitization Project (AHDP): The AHDP, funded by the Alberta Heritage Resources
Foundation, and directed by the University of Calgary Press, has already digitized over 309,000 newspaper
pages and 580,500 pages of local histories. Since the AHDP’s public launch in September 2000, the site has
received more than 2.5 million hits. By the end of 2002, the site will provide access to even more newspapers,
local histories, art, retrospective Bills and Gazettes, aerial photographs, and Alberta maps.

Dynamic Canada: Once completed, the VCP will be one of four multimedia digital collections that will be the
subject of a project study conducted by the University of Calgary, Universite de Montreal and McGill
University. The study (Dynamic Canada) will determine how to add educational value to multimedia materials
in order to enhance critical thinking skills and enable students and researchers to work with comprehensive
digital collections materials in a scholarly manner.
1.10 Achieving Bilingualism
The VCP is dedicated to creating and maintaining a bilingual web site. All materials will be posted in their original
language, but will be searchable in both official languages. Additionally, the user interface will be made available in
both French and English. Translation will be managed by Laval University.
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2.0 Milestones
The VCP will take a virtual cities approach to the presentation of our physical environment and provide a portal to
important historic documents and collections that are critical to the education and public interest of all Canadians.
2.1 Phase One: (April 1, 2002 – March 31, 2003)
In the first year of the project, the VCP will focus on creating a working prototype that will allow visitors to engage
in virtual walkthroughs of both Calgary and Montreal. Collaboration with existing digitized collections will be
undertaken, ensuring interoperability and avoiding the duplication of resources. Sample records needed to augment
existing data will be digitized, focusing primarily on the digitization of spatial data required to create the spatial
envelope of the virtual cities. Efforts will also focus on creating the interactive virtual world that visitors will use to
access archival and historical materials. Critical to the success of this phase will be the creation of a database for
accessing spatial data. The following tasks will therefore be undertaken:

3D Digitization (Laser Scanning of Historic Buildings and Structures): Virtual copies of ten to fifteen
building exteriors in each city will be created using 3D laser scanning technology. Buildings and structures will
be selected on the basis of their historic value. Sites will also be selected to demonstrate the variety of buildings
that can be scanned using the proposed approach. The data (point clouds) collected from the 3D scanning will
be converted to mesh and nurb models for display in the virtual world. Each model will also be made available
in standard digital formats for public use.

Architectural Reconstruction: Based on data digitized from insurance maps, photographs, aerial photos and
architectural drawings, buildings will be used to accurately recreate 3D computer models that will be placed in
the virtual cities.

Database Construction , System Construction and Development: Working with Professor Vincent Tao
(Canada Research Chair in Geomatics, Director of Geospatial Information and Communication Lab, York
University), we will develop the ability to construct highly effective 3D spatial databases for Internet based
transmission and manipulation. We will use a Java based 3D browser, “GeoServNet”, for 3D and hypermedia
data visualization and analysis. One of the critical issues faced in the query and display of 3D data is obtaining a
data-structure that is optimized for Internet use. Slow access times for large models can be a barrier to using the
Internet for viewing 3D data. Professor Tao has created tools that are specifically designed to provide faster
search capabilities and visual display of 3D data. Working with Professor Tao will provide us with immediate
access to the tools needed to create the data-structure required for the VCP site. To support highly interactive
visualization of 3D virtual worlds over the Internet, a high-performance scalable computing scheme will be
developed. Both University of Calgary and York University will build two mirrored high-performance server
clusters that enable the seamless data transmission and distributed computing over the Internet.

2D Digitization and Collaboration with Extant Collections: Existing digital archives including photographs,
film and video, plans and drawings, and artifacts (3D virtual copies produced by laser scanning) will be located
and reviewed. For the most part, the VCP will make use of materials that have been digitized or will be
digitized within two years.

Prototype Development: Using applications designed for creating virtual worlds on the web, prototypes will
be developed for the exploration of the urban form. In these worlds, experimentation with virtual tour guides
and 3D interfaces will be reviewed by potential users from education, computer science, planning and tourism.

Interface Design and Development: An interface for query and exploration will be created. Links to existing
and planned databases will be incorporated into the interface design.

Focus Group Testing: Focus group testing of the virtual cities will take place both on the Internet and in a
laboratory environment.
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Date
Phase One Milestones
(April 2002 – March 31, 2003)
Budget Estimate
CCOP Funding
Required ($)
April 1.02
Initial Payment
$147,274
101,500
July 31/02
3D Digitization (Laser Scanning of Historic
Buildings and Structures:)
3D scanning and data translation for 50-60 buildings
(50% in Calgary, 50% in Montreal).
$109,556
$82,400
Sept. 30/02
Data Conversion and Architectural
Reconstruction:
Creation of 50-60 3D computer models of the
architectural monuments based on the data colleted
with the laser scanner.
$109,556
$82,400
Completion of 50% of the context model based on
planimetric and Cadastral data. Includes streets, city
blocks, buildings not created from 3D data collected
with the laser scanner. These features will be built
from historical and existing map and GIS data.
Development of scanning protocol and testing of
data 3D data acquisition.
Database construction:
Build working browser and database structure for 3D
data.
Build database structure for text, image, and media
data for Historic Calgary site. This will include the
building of an image and text database for Calgary.
Build Linkages to the Old Montreal, CAA, CCA and
CAC databases
Translation of sites into English and French.
Nov. 30/02
2D Digitization and Collaboration with Extant
Collections:
2,667 2D items will be digitized, medial converted
and metatagged.
$116,231
$83,735
Jan. 31/03
Prototype Development:
$18,935
$14,200
Specification of model performance: a) database
retrieval; b) frame rate; c) dynamic lighting; d)
texture mapping; e) shadow mapping; f) navigation;
g) interactivity.
Complete the test model.
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Performance testing of software on a variety of PC’s
including home PCs that are up to five years old.
Completion of storyboards and text for site
exploration.
Build working models of Montreal and Calgary
using data collected in phase one.
Mar. 31/03
Interface Design and Development:
$18,935
$14,200
Specify hierarchy and links.
Use storyboards and specifications for VR
development to create no less than 3 test interfaces.
Focus Group Testing:
Data from focus group testing will be collected.
2.2 Phase Two: (April 1, 2003 – March 31, 2004)
During phase two of the project, the VCP will focus on completing the virtual model for the City of Calgary as it
existed in 1905, and the virtual model for an area within the historic district of Montreal as it existed in the
nineteenth century.

3D Digitization (Laser Scanning of Historic Buildings and Structures): Laser Scanning of historic buildings
and structures will continue, with the goal of creating an additional ten to fifteen building exteriors in both
Calgary and Montreal using 3D laser scanning technology.

Architectural Reconstruction: Based on data digitized from insurance maps, photographs, aerial photos and
architectural drawings, buildings will be used to accurately recreate 3D computer models that will be placed in
the virtual cities.

Database Construction: Finalize the initial list of potential databases that may be accessed from the interactive
worlds and establish links to existing databases.

Interface Design: Finalize interface design by incorporating comments from potential users, placing the webbased interface on the University of Calgary server and testing for reliability by University of Calgary student
groups.

Interactive World Development: Complete the VR world and make it available to the public.

Site Promotion: Marketing activities, as identified in this application, will be ongoing through Phase Two of
the VCP.

Site Launch: The site will go live to identified target markets via specific marketing activities as per this
application.
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Date
Phase Two Milestones
April 2003 – March 31, 2004
Budget
Estimate
CCOP Funding
Required ($)
Apr. 1/2003
Initial Payment
$145,565
102,065
July 31/03
3D Digitization (Laser Scanning of Historic
Buildings and Structures:)
3D scanning and data translation for 50-60 buildings
(50% in Calgary, 50% in Montreal).
$110,847
$83,265
$110,847
$83,265
Data Conversion and Architectural
Reconstruction:
Creation of 50-60 3D computer models of the
architectural monuments based on the data collected
with the laser scanner.
Completion of 50% of the context model based on
planimetric and Cadastral data. Includes streets, city
blocks, buildings not created from 3D data collected
with the laser scanner. These features will be built
from historical and existing map and GIS data.
Spet.30/03
Database construction:
Complete the data entry into the database for text,
image, and media data for Historic Calgary site. This
will include the building of an image and text
database for Calgary and materials not contained in
the Montreal databases.
Refinement of browser and database structure for 3D
data.
Refine database structure for text, image, and media
data for Historic Calgary site. This will include the
building of an image and text database for Calgary.
Complete linkages to databases
Translation of sites and data to English and French.
Nov. 30/03
2D Digitization and Collaboration with Extant
Collections:
An additional 2,667 2D items will be digitized,
medial converted and metatagged.
$110,847
$83,265
Jan.31/4
VR Development:
VR world development will be 100% complete.
$22,744
16,940
Complete working model of Montreal and Calgary
using data from Phase Two, including all
interactivity, navigation, and 3D data.
Testing of VR environment with a variety of home
PC configurations
Correction of problems found in site testing.
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Final installation, testing and correction of problems.
Mar. 31/04
Marketing Activities:
Promotional activities will be launched and
completed.
$6,675
$1,335
Site Launch:
The site will be launched and the interactive worlds
will be available from the VCP website for public
use.
2.3 Evaluation Plan
In order to monitor and evaluate the progress of the project, ensuring that stated objectives are met, a project
manager will be hired to oversee the VCP. Milestones and timelines will be monitored closely, as will budgetary
spending.
An initial version of the VCP site will also be available online by the end of Phase One, which will allow us to
monitor usage of the site according to detailed web statistic reports. Focus groups will also provide valuable
feedback to ensure that the site functions as anticipated.
3.0 Proposed Budget
3.1 Total Cash Costs
The VCP is requesting $378,435 from CCOP for Phase One of a two-year project. For a detailed budget including
in-kind funding, please see Appendix A.
Year One Costs
Overall Costs by Category
Travel
Technical and Administrative Expenses
Project Digitization
Technical Infrastructure and Software
Promotion
Total Costs
$ 23,718
$113,718
$362,412
$168,836
$ 6,675
$675,359
In-Kind Funding
In-Kind Cash
In-Kind Other
$142,088
$154,836
Total In-Kind Funding
$296,924
TOTAL FUNDING REQUESTED PHASE ONE
$378,435
3.2 In-kind amounts and revenues
A major gift in-kind of a Cyrax® 2400 3D laser scanner (valued at $210,000) will make it possible to capture
accurate data on the exterior of existing heritage buildings. The VCP will also have access to computer hardware,
Virtual Cities Project (VCP)
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software and imaging equipment through the Multimedia Advanced Computational Infrastructure (MACI). This
includes access to applications for the creation of interactive worlds on the web, digital cameras, digital video
cameras, video editing equipment, a virtual reality laboratory, and digital scanners. The value of MACI equipment is
in excess of $500,000 and will be critical to the process of digitizing and data conversion that will take place during
the VCP. The VCP will also be able to access the computing facilities and data sets of the York GeoICT Lab with
the value of over $800,000. Please note that the MACI and GeoICT Lab access values are not included in inkind funding in the budget.
3.3 Need for CCOP Funding (Phase One)
Innovative projects that serve the public good require government funding. The VCP will serve as a vital portal to
important Canadian documents and will demonstrate the value of new approaches to the display and access of
archival information. Therefore, the project represents a responsible investment. The VCP requires funding from
CCOP in order to realize the following goals.








Digitize archival materials;
Laser scan architectural monuments;
Convert 3D data to computer models;
Enter metatagging data acquired during the scanning process;
Convert data to web-enabled formats;
Create and test the interactive worlds of Calgary and Montreal;
Develop a data-structure for the preservation of 3D data on each city;
Develop necessary links into the interactive worlds of Calgary and Montreal
3.4 Additional financial support
Additional funding for the VCP is being sought from the Geomatics Department at the University of Calgary, which
has pledged $12,600 to help defray technical infrastructure costs.
Once the VCP has an established Internet presence, additional funding will be sought from corporate sponsors. The
high-profile nature of the proposed project should attract sponsorship from Canadian telecommunication, computer
hardware and software companies. Companies with corporate headquarters in Calgary and Montreal will also be
targeted as potential contributors to support the maintenance and future development of the VCP.
In the event that less than 90% of the requested funds are not received from CCOP, the VCP will seek further
funding from other provincial, federal and private sources.
3.5 Not sure what the title of this section should be. (will check the guidelines)
If VCP is unable to secure the requested funding, changes to the work plan will include:
 Fewer collections will be linked together into a network of searchable databases. Users will not have direct
access to as many on-line architectural resources.
 Proportionally fewer buildings will be digitized during the two years period planned for the completion of
this project. With fewer buildings in the database there will be a less comprehensive representation of the
architectural richness of Montreal and Calgary. In addition it will not be possible to provide the depth and
breadth of materials on the architectural fabric of the two cities.
 Fewer images maps and photos will be digitized and catalogued in the on-line databases.
 In building the VR interface fewer features will be built into the interactive environment. With less
funding, it may not be possible features such as virtual tour guides that can assist the user in the navigation
of the virtual city environment.
 More time will be required to achieve goal of establishing a digital architectural record for the preservation
and conservation of heritage assets.
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4.0 Copyright Issues
While the VCP will largely be dealing with collections that are in the public domain, copyright approval for the
VCP will be obtained for every item in the collection that requires copyright clearance. No item will be digitized
without the written permission of the copyright holder. Hand-signed copies of copyright clearance forms are
preferred but digitally signed forms are also permitted.
Please see Appendix B for a signed and completed Intellectual Property Representations form.
5.0 Marketing Plan
5.1 Target Market Groups
The VCP’s target market groups, corresponding marketing activities and partner involvement in marketing have
been identified below. For a comprehensive explanation of targeted marketing activities, please see Section 12.2.

School teachers: Teachers grades K-12 can take advantage of the unique learning environment provided
by the VCP. Supplementary tools for teachers will help in the preparation of course syllabi and learning
activities.

University Professors: Access to architectural archives and 3D urban models will be of particular value to
those teaching courses in Canadian culture, architectural history, Canadian history, geography and
architectural design.

The General Public: An interactive world linked to historic sites and archives will be of interest to
amateur historians, those interested in learning more about their community, or those interested in locating
historical information on a city they plan to visit.

Municipal Government and Urban Planners: A 3D archive will help planners and city officials
understand the role of historic precedent in urban development. This resource will be of particular use to
preservation planners and architectural conservationists.

Tourism Planners: The proposed project would provide a useful marketing tool for attracting potential
visitors to the cities of Calgary and Montreal.

Real Estate Developers: The VCP will provide an easily referenced and accessible source of archive data
for developers who specialize in opportunities involving the renovation of historic properties.
5.2 Marketing Activities
In essence, while national promotional campaigns will be launched for the site, each node and partner is also
expected to participate in heightening public awareness of the site. Because the site and is national in scope and
partners and nodes will be placed across the country, communication to each region will be more easily
accomplished than if the project was more centrally focused and located. Marketing and promotion activities
scheduled for the VCP are expected to intensify as the project develops.
5.2.1 Phase One Marketing
Cataloguing
Libraries across Canada will be asked to include the VCP site in their catalogues, and descriptive web sites
will be sent brief summaries and links to the VCP. Engaging libraries in the effort mobilizes an effective
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promotion and distribution channel to reach Canadians. Libraries and other institutions will promote the
resulting product by building programming around the content and through their daily work in assisting
Canadians to find the information they need.
Brochures
Simple, descriptive brochures will be designed to be deliverable via email or regular mail. These print and
online brochures will be made available to conference participants, organizations and target market groups,
including urban planning, provincial tourism, and real estate development associations in particular.
Because the template is created digitally and will be delivered primarily via email and the web, it can be
easily updated and targeted to specific audiences.
Press Releases
Press releases highlighting the development of the VCP will be forwarded to target market groups and
associations, including educational journals, daily and weekly newspapers across Canada.
Conference papers
The involvement of Canadian researchers from computer science, engineering, urban planning, design and
geography will result in scholarly presentations regarding the VCP at a variety of venues.
Site Testing
In Phase One, the site will be tested to ensure that the server is robust enough to handle a significant
amount of traffic (knowing that unexpectedly high web traffic can slow information provision
considerably). In order to create a popular site that is utilized regularly by Canadians and those interested in
Canada’s history, the site must run quickly and efficiently in order to encourage return visits and
enthusiastic response from clients.
5.2.2 Phase Two Marketing
Focus Group Testing
Groups from across Canada will be alerted to the site and invited to participate in focus groups. Further
tweaking of the site will occur in response to user feedback.
Project Demonstrations
Each VCP partner is responsible for researching appropriate groups in their regions of responsibility and
offering demonstrations of the project to these groups. In addition, vendors of computer software and
hardware will be encouraged to use the VCP site as a vehicle for expounding on opportunities to use 3D
web-based environments in education, training and marketing.
Classroom Instruction
The partners involved in this project will ensure that all provincial educational departments and school
boards are aware of the VCP and its educational component for Canadian students. Students will be
introduced to the VCP as part of a curriculum from K-12 and for college-level instruction. As teaching
packages are created for the web site, the project will be demonstrated at teachers’ professional
development conventions. School boards and school divisions will also be notified of available workshops
and of the site URL.
Press Releases
Press releases highlighting key aspects and the site launch date of the VCP will be forwarded to target
market groups and associations, including daily and weekly newspapers across Canada.
Internet Links
All partner websites will feature a link to the VCP site. In addition, links to provincial educational websites,
university websites, professional associations, and government, city, museum and tourism websites will be
established. The VCP website address will be submitted to search engines and to webmasters of relevant
sites.
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Media Interviews
Newspaper, television and radio interviews will be scheduled to coincide with the site launch.
Public Launch
The site will be officially launched near the end of Phase Two. This development time will allow the VCP
to ensure that the site has endured rigorous focus group testing and is fully functional, easily accessible and
searchable in both French and English. The public launch will be held simultaneously at partner
institutions. National and local media will be alerted to the event via press releases and invited to attend.
Other attendees will include local, provincial and national politicians; architectural organizations; school
teachers and students; university researchers; the general public; library, museum and archival personnel;
project friends and staff; as well as sponsors and donors.
5.3 Sponsor Acknowledgment
The participants of VCP will be pleased to acknowledge the generous contribution of the CCOP wherever possible.
All promotional material will include written acknowledgment of sponsor participation and, where possible, a logo
or word mark. The VCP site and its sponsors will be promoted by all partner institutions through the Internet, print
media outlets, scholarly journals, conferences, and presentations. Copies of all project and sponsorship publicity will
be provided to CCOP.
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Appendix A: Budget
Virtual Cities Project (VCP)
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Appendix B: Intellectual Property Representations
Signed and completed Intellectual Property Representations form for each partner responsible for clearing copyright
and contributing content
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Appendix C: List and Curriculum Vitaes of Individual Project Contributors
University of Calgary
University of Calgary Digitization
Dr. Frits Pannekoek
Director of Information Resources
Expertise: Canadian History, Architectural History, Information Science,
Dr. Richard M. Levy, Planning Program
Faculty of Environmental Design
Expertise: Virtual Environments, Urban Planning, Architectural History and Computer Modeling
Dr. Gerard Lachapelle, Head and Professor
Canada Research Chair and iCore chair in Wireless Location
Geomatics Engineering, University of Calgary
Expertise:
Prof. Mathew Taite
Department of Geomatics Engineering
Expertise: 3D laser scanning, photogrametry
Prof. N. El-Sheimy
Department of Geomatics Engineering
Expertise: 3D laser scanning
Linda Fraser
Director, Canadian Architectural Archives
Expertise: Canadian Architectural History
Douglas Macleod
Director of Special Projects, Netera
Expertise: Canadian Architecture, Cyberspace
Denis Gadbois
Sr. Lecturer, Industrial Design Program, Faculty of Environmental Design
Expertise: Computer Modeling, Industrial Design History
Prof. Walter Jamieson
Planning Program, Faculty of Environmental Design
Expertise: Urban Planning, Tourism Planning, Historic Resource Management
Prof. Michael McMordie
Architecture Program, Planning Program, Faculty of Environmental Design
Expertise: Architectural History, Historic Preservation
Ann Davis, Director
The Nickle Arts Museum
Expertise: Canadian Art History
Prof. Clarence Woudsma
Department of Geography
Expertise: GIS, Geography
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Prof. Nigel Waters
Department of Geography
Expertise: GIS, Geography, Statistics
Prof. Peter Dawson
Department of Archaeology
Expertise: Archaeology
Prof. David Mitchell
Department of Communication
Expertise: Cyberspace
Prof. Larry Katz
Faculty of Kinesiology, Faculty of Environmental Design (changed the order of those listed)
Expertise: Kinesiology, Virtual Environments
Ronald Robert Graham
City of Calgary
Expertise: Heritage Planner
University of Alberta
Prof. Pierre Boulanger
Department of Computer Science (University of Alberta)
Department of Computer Science (Laval University)
Expertise: Virtual Environments, Computer Modeling
McGill University
Irena Murray, Chief Curator
University Library
Expertise: Canadian Architectural History
Prof. Raphael Fischler
School of Urban Planning
Expertise: Urban and Regional Planning
Sherbrook University
Prof. Leon Robichaud
Department of Political Science
Expertise: Urban History and Database Development
Vieux-Montreal (Remparts)
Allan M. Stewart, Remparts, consultant
Expertise: Database Development, Architectural and Urban History
York University
Prof. Vincent Tao, Canada Research Chair in Geomatics
Geospatial Information and Communication Technology Lab
Faculty of Pure and Applied Science
Expertise: GIS, Management of 3D Data
Virtual Cities Project (VCP)
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Appendix D: Letters of Support
Virtual Cities Project (VCP)
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Appendix E: Standards and Guidelines

The VCP will provide metadata about their projects to CCOP in both French and English of equal quality using
RSLP templates.

The VCP will provide guidelines detailing the cataloguing and metadata creation for their project. Standards
used during the course of the proposed project will be based on internationally recognized standards in use in
archiving, photos, drawings, maps and computer files and GIS data. In cases where the VCP is using existing
digital databases and archives, the location of metadata will be provided to the CCOP. A website of standards
used in creating the VCP will be maintained for the CCOP and future researchers.

The VCP will adopt the file naming conventions for digital objects stated in the CCOP (Version 2.3).

In creating databases under VCP, care will be taken to avoid the creation of complex data hierarchies. Standard
formats for data storage including comma delimited will be made available to interested researchers.

The University of Calgary and McGill University will maintain identical copies of all data acquired during the
course of this project on their respective university server. This will guarantee that established backup and
recovery procedures will be followed to preserve any and all data acquired during the course of this project.
Virtual Cities Project (VCP)
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Appendix F: List of Materials to be Digitized
Calgary

Selected Historic Buildings: Using a Cyrax® 2400, a 3D virtual copy of 10-15 historic buildings from
Calgary’s early history will be made. A committee of experts in architectural history, urban planning and
historic preservation will be consulted prior to the scanning of specific sites in Calgary. Under VCP 3D laser
scanning will be used to create 3D meshes of the building envelope and architectural detail for research and
preservation. Buildings will be selected for their architectural significance and historic importance. As part of
this 3D virtual construction, high resolution digital images will be taken of each building.

Insurance maps: The University of Calgary’s collection of insurance maps will be used to confirm the
location, dimensions and type of construction of buildings that have been demolished over the last century.
There are approximately 73 Calgary fire insurance maps, dated 1911. Size is approximately 21"x 25".

Map Collection, University of Calgary: Digitized aerial photographs and Cadastral data are available through
the University of Calgary Library. The Library is currently digitizing the 1926 series of aerial photos for the
Calgary region (check numbers and data). These images will be registered to established datum and
projections.

Canadian Architectural Archives (CAA): The CAA, housed at the University of Calgary Library, is a joint
venture between the University of Calgary and the Faculty of Environmental Design. “With the mandate of
archiving the work of twentieth century Canadian architects, the CAA emphasizes the documentation of the
total output of architectural firms in an attempt to provide an accurate historical profile. Collections may consist
of drawings, project files, correspondence, slides, photographs, aperture cards, oral history tapes and transcripts,
and architectural models.”9 These images of plans, drawings and sketches will be available for the VCP site. In
cases where these buildings no longer exist, the drawings will serve as a basis for the 3D reconstruction of
historic buildings from the past. This archive contains drawings and documents for over 320 buildings in
Calgary and over 100 buildings in Montreal. The Stevenson and Raines Collection from this period of interest
contains drawings, sketches and prints of various sizes. The total number and size of drawings varies for each
architectural design. Under the VCP proposal, 3000 drawings, photos and sketches will be scanned from the
CAA collection.
Montreal

Selected Historic Buildings: Using a Cyrax2400, a 3D virtual copy of 10-15 historic buildings from
Montreal’s early history will be created. A committee of experts in architectural history, urban planning and
historic preservation will be consulted prior to the scanning of specific sites in Montreal. Working with faculty
from Laval University, the 3D laser scanner will be used to create 3D meshes of the building envelope and
architectural detail for research and preservation. Buildings will be selected for their architectural significance.
As part of this 3D virtual construction, high resolution digital images will be taken of each building.

The Canadian Architecture Collection: The Canadian Architecture Collection (CAC) is an archival unit of
the Blackader-Lauterman Library of Architecture and Art at McGill University. This collection consists of
several architectural archives, particularly those connected with McGill University, the city of Montreal, and the
Province of Quebec. The CAC contains the Bland Archives, Building Canada, Maxwell Archive, Nobbs
Archives and Traquair Archive. Of particular interest to this project will be drawings and documents in the
Traquair Archive which focuses on works of the mid to late 19th century. Approximately 3,500 items from this
collection will be scanned at higher resolutions than are currently available from the digital database.

Insurance Maps: The CP 1912 Insurance Atlas will be used to confirm the location, dimensions and type of
construction of buildings that have been demolished over the last century. Under VCP, maps for old Montreal
will be digitized and registered to existing data contained in Giode’s GIS for Montreal. This work on the
historic mapping of Montreal is being conducted under the auspices of Dr. Sherry Olson, McGill University.
Virtual Cities Project (VCP)
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
City of Montreal, Engineering and Planning: Several hundred maps and drawings from the City archive will
be digitized under VCP. The choice of drawings selected for scanning will be done with the consultation of the
City engineering staff and the members of the Old Montreal Project.

The Canadian Center for Architecture: Approximately 1500 selected drawings and photos will be scanned
from the collection. How will they be selected?
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Appendix G: Audited Financial Statement
Due to the length of the audited financial statement for the University of Calgary (the VCP Project Coordinator), the
document has not been included in this application; however, the file can be examined and downloaded at
www.vpfs.ucalgary.ca.
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References
1
Novitski, B.J. (1998) Reconstructing Lost Architecture, Computer Graphics World, Vol. 21, 12:24.
2
Mahoney, D.P. (1997) Philadelphia 2000, Computer Graphics World, Vol. 20, 6:30-32.
3
Jepson, W., Friedman, S., (1998) Virtual L.A., Urban Simulation in Los Angeles, Planning Magazine,
Journal of the American Planning Association, July 1998, pp.4-7.
4
Jepson, W. (2000) A Real-Time Visualization System for Managing Emergency Response in Large
Scale Urban Environments, Proceedings of the 88th Annual Association of Collegiate Schools of
Architecture, March 11-14, 2000.
5
Angus Reid Group (July 26, 2000), New study shows Canadian internet access continues to grow, and
users say the net has had a significant impact on their lives,
http://www.angusreid.com/media/content/pdf/mr000726_1.pdf.
Schoolnet, (April, 2000) SchoolNet’s On-line Connectivity Survey Final Report,
http://www.schoolnet.ca/home/e/Research_Papers/Research/SchoolNet_Research/Final_Survey_Report_
2000(English).htm.
6
7
Convergence Consulting Group, (October, 2001) Strategies and Trends in the Canadian Internet/ISP
Market, 2001 Edition, http://www.convergenceonline.com/report3.html.
8
Kanaya, Kadobayashi and Chihara, (2001) Proceedings, Seventh International Conference on Virtual
Systems an Multimedia, IEEE, pp. 113-120).
9
University of Calgary Library website.
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