Informative modelling

Informative modelling is an interdisciplinary methodological approach linking information technologies with architectural analysis and modelling (at various scales, from architectural elements to buildings and structures). Informative modelling aims at improving the way information and evidences about how architectural objects evolved through time can be visually displayed.

Informative modelling applies to the study of historic architecture, where objects have most often been widely transformed, and consequently where what is known about objects remains partial. As a consequence, whereas in traditional architectural modelling a realistic representation of objects is considered as an end, in the informative modelling methodology the representation of architectural objects is used primarily as support for information search and visualisation, reasoning and cognition:it does not strive for realism.

Abstraction (the "infovis" legacy) and figuration (the "architectural representation" legacy) are integrated as alternative/mixable modes of representation, allowing partial knowledge to be communicated and important notions in historic sciences such as data uncertainty to be conveyed graphically.

Informative modelling puts the data about evolutions of architectural artefacts first, and provides rules for outputting 2D/3D graphics thought to become sustainable investigation and visualization tools (knowledge and discovery tools, as J.Bertin says it), striving for the readability of a dynamic geographical map. Examples of such rules are accessibility of the underlying documentary justification (archives, research material, etc.), information credibility assessment, visual underlining of lacking information, relation to an exogenous theoretical model of architectural elements, dynamic visualisation, research process progress assessment, etc.

Informative modelling has roots in architectural modelling, , , Georeference, database,
scientific modelling, scientific visualization, knowledge visualization, Knowledge management, information retrieval, Information science,
Computer graphics, Information graphics, and intersects methods and issues stemming from these disciplines.

References

* Blaise, J.Y and Dudek, I, "Using abstraction levels in the visual exploitation of a knowledge acquisition process" JUCS - Journal of Universal Computer Science - Proceedings I-Know 05 International Conference on Knowledge Management - Graz - Austria July 2005.

* Blaise, J.Y and Dudek, I, "From artefact representation to information visualisation: genesis of informative modelling" Proceedings SmartGraphics 2005, Frauenwörth Cloister, Germany, August 2005, Springer-Verlag, pp. 230-236

* Blaise, J.Y, Dudek, I, De Domenico, F, "Spatial distribution and visual analysis of architectural semantic features" JUCS - Journal of Universal Computer Science - Proceedings I-Know 06 International Conference on Knowledge Management - Graz - Austria September 2006.

* Blaise, J.Y, Dudek, I, "Modélisation informationnelle : un cadre méthodologique pour représenter des connaissances évolutives spatialisables", Journal RNTI - E6 - Proceedings EGC 2006 (Knowledge discovery and management), Lille, France, January 2006, Cépaduès, pp.347-358.

* Alkhoven, P, "The changing image of the city- A study of the transformation of the townscape using Computer assisted Design and visualisation techniques ", University of Utrecht, 1993.

* Bertin, J, "Sémiologie Graphique", Editions EHESS, Paris (1967) 1998.

* Kienreich, W, "Information and Knowledge visualisation - An oblique view" MIA Journal vol0 num1, MAP-CNRS, July 2006, pp 7-17.

* Tufte, E.R., "Envisioning Information",Graphic Press, Cheshire 2001

* Tufte, E.R., "Visual explanations", Graphic Press, Cheshire 2002

* Spence, R, "Information vizualisation" Addison Wesley ACM Press 2001

Related research areas

* Scientific visualization
* Knowledge visualization
* Knowledge management
* Scientific modelling

External links

* MIA digital Journal, the online publication on Informative Modelling for the Architectural Heritage (http://www.map.archi.fr/mia/journal/)